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23  WIST  MAIN  STRliT 

WIBSTER.N.Y.  14SM 

(716)  S73-4S03 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVI/iCIViH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


\ 


\ 


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Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notas/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


□    Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


D 


n 


D 
D 


D 


D 


Couverture  endommagAe 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurie  et/ou  pelliculAe 


□    Cover  title  missing/ 
Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  giographiques  en  couleur 


Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


I     I   Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relit  avec  d'autres  documents 


Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  serrie  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intArieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajouties 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte. 
mais,  lorsque  cela  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  At6  fiimtes. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppitmentaires: 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  iti  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sent  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  q^    peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mAthoue  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu6s  ci-dessous. 


The 
loth 


|~~~|   Coloured  pages/ 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagtes 

Pages  restored  and/oi 

Pages  restauries  et/ou  peilicultes 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxei 
Pages  dtcoiories,  tachetdes  ou  piqudes 


I      I   Pages  damaged/ 

I      I    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 

ryi    Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 


□    Pages  detached/ 
Pages  dttachtes 

0Showthrough/ 
Transparence 


The 

pOM 

ofth 
film! 


Origi 
begii 
the  I 
sion, 
othe 
first 
sion, 
or  ill 


Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Qualiti  intgaie  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materii 
Comprend  du  matdriei  suppltmentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I    Includes  supplementary  material/ 

|~n    Only  edition  available/ 


D 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc..  have  been  ref limed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  una  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6t^  filmies  d  nouveau  de  faqon  & 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


The 
shall 
TINL 
whic 

Map) 
diffei 
entin 
begir 
right 
requi 
meth 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmi  au  taux  de  reduction  indiquA  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

J 

12X 

16X 

20X 

24X 

28X 

32X 

e 

fttails 
s  du 
lodifisr 
r  une 
Image 


Th«  copy  iiim«d  h«r«  hat  b—n  r«produc«d  thanks 
to  tha  ganarosity  of: 

Douglas  Library 
Quaan'a  Univarsity 

Tha  imagaa  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  baat  quality 
possibia  considaring  tha  condition  and  iagibiiity 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  Icaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  •pacifications. 


L'axamplaira  film*  fut  raproduit  grAca  A  la 
gAnArositA  da: 

Douglas  Library 
Quean's  Univarsity 

Las  images  suivantas  ont  At6  raproduitas  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin,  compta  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattatA  da  raxemplaira  film*,  et  en 
conformity  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  da 
filmaga. 


>s 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  ara  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  Ail 
other  original  copiaa  ara  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — »>  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Lea  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimis  sont  filmAs  en  commenpant 
par  la  premier  plat  at  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
darnlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  ie  second 
plat,  salon  ia  cas.  Tous  las  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmte  an  commenpant  par  la 
pramiAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  at  en  terminant  par 
la  derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboies  suivants  apparattra  sur  ia 
darniAre  image  de  chaque  microfiche,  selon  Ie 
cas:  la  symboia  -^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  Ie 
symbols  ▼  signifie  "FIN". 


IMaps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
filmte  A  des  taux  de  r6duction  diff  Arents. 
Lorsque  Ie  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  f  iimA  A  partir 
de  I'angia  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  an  bas,  en  prenant  Ie  nombre 
d'images  nteessaira.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrant  ia  mAthode. 


srrata 
to 


pelure, 
tn  il 


32X 


12  3 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

HISTORY 


OF  THE 


INDIAN    WARS 


AMD 


/.    .        % 


WAR  OF  THE  REVOLUTION 


/.V* 


OF  THE 


UNITED     STATES. 


OT 


JOHN   LEWIS  THOMSON. 


^aitl)  ^tiDiition^  anti   (STorrection^. 


vi^r 


ILLUSTKATJiD  WITH  NUMEROUS  ENGRAVINGS,  FROM  DESIGNS  BY 
W.  CROOME  AND  OTHER  ARTISTS. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
J.    B.    LIPPINCOTT    &    CO. 

1873. 


mrsrsTTrr^TrKrw^l^SS^s^ 


wm^mmmtmmm 


V. 


^e>^.TA-G 


Emerec!  according  to  Act  of  CongrcM,  In  the  year  1873,  Iqr 

J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  &  CO., 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congreu,  at  Washington. 


Z,  -  \  ^  o  Z^  \ 


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Our  country  is  still  yotnag ;  but  her  wars  have  been 
numerous,  and,  some  of  them,  bloody.  Our  foes  have 
been  of  various  degrees  in  strength  and  skill,  from  the 
brave  and  cunning  savage  up  to  the  disciplined  soldier 
of  Britain ;  and  against  all  have  we  maintained  our- 
selves with  honour ;  nay,  the  end  of  every  contest  has 
been  attended  with  a  large  increase  of  our  dominion. 
The  fiercest  efforts  of  mighty  powers  have  proved 
insufficient  to  check  the  progression  of  the  republic. 
The  cords  upon  the  limbs  of  Samson  were  burst 
asunder  as  burnt  flax. 

Wars  are  popularly  considered  the  most  interesting 
portions  of  a  nation's  history.  A  peaceful  advance  in 
the  arts  and  the  gradual  perfection  of  institutions  are 
highly  approved,  of  course ;  but  the  narrative  of  such 
progression  can  never  possess  the  thrilling  attractions 
^    pertaining  to  accounts  of  the  "pomp  and  circumstance 


0 


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(Hi) 


2343^0 


^^uvtfnmmKimfm^,- 


IV 


PREFACE. 


of  glorious  war."  The  moralist  and  the  philosopher 
may  condemn  the  taste  as  vicious  and  perverted ;  but 
the  majority  still  prefer  the  stirring  blast  of  the  bugle 
to  the  soothing  sweetness  of  the  flute.  The  grand 
national  displays  of  patriotic  pride ;  the  achievements 
of  courage,  activity,  and  skill;  the  developement  of  the 
heroic  part  of  human  nature,  all  of  which  are  charac- 
teristic of  war,  fairly  glow  upon  the  page  of  history, 
and  can  kindle  the  heart  of  the  farmer  at  his  fireside, 
when  all  other  reading  would  fail  to  win  his  attention. 
Inquire,  and  he  will  acknowledge  that  war  has  a 
horrible  display  of  some  brutal  passions  and  is  attended 
and  followed  by  an  immense  amount  of  misery,  but  he 
dares  not  deny  the  charms  of  its  history. 

The  soil  of  the  republic  is  thickly  dotted  with  battle- 
fields. The  North  has  her  Breed's  Hill — ^her  Benning- 
ton— ^her  Saratoga,  and  her  Trenton — the  South  has 
her  Eutaw — ^her  King's  Mountain — ^her  Cowpens,  and 
her  Torktown — ^plax:es  fertilized  by  the  blood  of  the 
revolutionary  patriots — ^whither  Americans  may  make 
pilgrimages  to  freshen  their  love  of  liberty.  The  re- 
cords of  those  fields  should  not  only  be  in  the  hands, 
but  in  the  memory  of  the  patriotic.  The  great  West 
also  has  her  battle-fields,  where  whites  of  iron  nerve 
engaged  in  bloody  strife  with  Indians,  who  claimed  the 
soil  as  the  land  of  their  fathers,  and  where  the  dominion 
of  the  Anglo-Saxon  was  established.  v» 


.*/ 


I  (. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

no;; 

WABS  BETWEEN  THE  EABLT  SPANISH  ADTENTCBXES  AND  THE  INDIANS   ...    18 

CHAPTER   II. 

WABS  BETWEEN   THE  EARLY  SSTTLEB8  Of  TIBOINIA  AND  TBI  INDIANS  .  .  22 

CHAPTER    IIL 

THE  PEQUOD  WAB 82 

C  H  A  P  T  E  R   IV. 
KINO  Philip's  wab 87 

CHAPTERV. 

THE  TtrSOAROBA   AND   TEHASSEI   WABS .48 

'..'.-.■  I 


viii  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    TL 

Via 
KUIO  wilium's  wa* ••..         56 

CHAPTER  VII. 

QCIIR  ANMl't   WAB  .  .  .  »  > 7fi 

CHAPTER   VIIL 
LOVIWIU'a  WAB         » .,».•..  91 

CHAPTER  n. 

THB  rSINOH  WAB  OF  1745  TO  1748        >•.»»....     102 

CHAPTER  Z. 

TBI  •■▼■If  TBAR**^  WAB IOC 

CHAPTER  XL 
roMTiAo'a  WAB      ..............    189 

CHAPTER  XIL 

BUHHOBl's  WAB  •••....' 204 

,  CHAPTER   XIIL 

THB  BITOLUnON     ...  «         .  .  216 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

nOIAR  WAB«  Of  TBI  WU*  .  M* 


// 


\\ 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


VXQNITTS 18 

POBTBAIT  or  FONOI  DX  IKON 14 

PONOB  DX  LEON  HOBTALLT  tTOVNDXD  IN  ILOBIDA 15 

NABVAEZ'S  HABOH  fBOM  APPALAOHU             •..•....  16 

POBTBAIT  0?  0HABU8  .V. 17 

BOTO  OISCOVBBINa  THB  MISSISSIPPI 18 

POBTBAIT  or  BEBNANOO  DB   SOTO 19 

TAILPIECE — SATAOB                 21 

HEADPIECE— CAPTAIN  JOHN  SMITH 22 

OBNAHENTAL  LETTER 22 

POCAHONTAS   SAYING  THB  IIPl  OP  CAPTAIN  SMITH 25 

THB  CHBI8TIAN  INDIAN  DISCLOSING  THB  INTENDED  MASSAOBS       ....  29 

THB  OBEAT  MA8SA0BB 30 

TAILPIEOB gj 

HEADPIECE — THB   PIONBEB 82 

OBNAHENTAL  LBTTXB JJ2 

SBSTBUCnON   or  TBI  PBQUODI  .85 

.    {ix) 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


tAILPIlOB— INDIAN   LTIMO  III   WAIT 80 

ffftlATT  WITH    HASIAIOIT 87 

OKNAMIHTAI.   tlTTBE • 87 

ATTACK  ON   DBIBriILD 40 

DIATU   or  KINO  VBILIP 46 

BIADPIIOI — TBI  lOAbPIllO  EKin 48 

OKNAMINTAL  IITTIB 48 

roKTBAiT  Of  WILLIAM  in.         ••.;••••••  60 

OBMAMBNTAL  LITTIB 60 

VUI  OAPTIVI  WOMAN 66 

TAILPIBOI • 74 

fORTBAIT  OP  QUBIN  ANN! 76 

OBNAMNHTAL  LBTTBB 76 

WBSCK  OP  TUB  BNOLIIB  PL8BT 89 

TAILPIKOB 00 

BBADPINOB — INDIAN  lOOCT 91 

OBNAMINTAL  LBTTIB    ............  01 

TAILPIBOB — TBB  INDIAN'S  tTBATAaBH 101 

BBADPIBOa 102 

OBNAMINTAL  LBTTBB 102 

■IIGB  or  LOVISBOUBO— OAPTUBB  OP  IBIP  OPP  TBB  POBT 104 

OBNAMBNTAL  HBADPIBOB 100 

BNOLISB  TBADINO  WITH  TBB  INDIANS 100 

WAtHINQTON  CBOSSINO  TBB  ALLBOBANT 112 

rOBTBAIT  or  OBNBBAL  BBADDOCK      119 

vbbmob  and  indians  at  tbb  dbpbat  op  bbaddook 121 

bibskau  woundbd  and  oaptubbd 128 

robtbait  op  montcalm 181 

kasbaorb  op  tbb  pbib0nbb8  at  pobt  william  hbnbt 186 

robtbait  op  william  pitt — babl  op  obatbam 187 

pobtbait  op  obnbbal  wolpb 140 

abbbobohbib's  abmt  obossino  lakb  obobob 142 

BuiNS  or  ticondbbooa 148 

woLrs's  abmt  ascbndino  tbb  bxiobtb  op  abbabam 169 

DBATB  OP  WOLPB 162 

lAILPIBCB 188 

POBTBAIT  OP  OOLONBL  BOCaVBT       189 

OBNAMBNTAL   LBTTBB 189 

PURTBAIT  OP  PONTIAO , 106 

TAILPIBOB  ..- 208 

POBTBAIT  OP  LOOAN                     204 


ff 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


OBMAM^NTAIi  IITTI*        •          .           •           •           • 204 

rOSTRAIT  or  IIMOM  OIBTT 211 

VOkTftAlT  or  OOUtTOOK           .          .          •          • 218 

VAILPIUI 216 

TBI  MINDTB  MAN               216 

OBMAMBHTAL   LBTTIB 216 

rOBTBAIT  or  OOLONBl  BABBB            .••                      219 

POKTBAIT  or  PATBIOK  RBMBT       .          • 220 

POBTBAIT  or  JOHN  BAMOOOK 226 

SItTBVOTIOM  or  TUB  TBA               . 227 

POBTBAIT  or  SAMCBb  ADAMS              •          *           •          •          • 229 

BATTLB  or  LBXIlfOTOM 288 

BBTBBAT  PBOM  OOMOOBD 284 

BATTLB  or  BBBBD'S   BILL                289 

POBTBAIT  or  OBMBBAL  WABBBX *          .           .  241 

•HOB  OP  BOSTON 242 

POBTBAIT  or  OBNBBAL  HOMTOOMBBT          .           .           .          • 246 

POBTBAIT  or  LOBD  FBBOT                 247 

POBTBAIT  or  OBNBBAL  OHABLBI  LBB 249 

POBTBAIT  or  aiB  HINBT  OLINIOM 260 

POBTBAIT  or  OBNBBAL  BOWB              .           .           •          • 268 

BBTBBAT  rBOH   LONO  ISLAND 266 

BBTBBAT  TBBOUOH  NBW  JBBSBT 269 

BATTLB  or  TBBNTON ••••  261 

POBTBAIT  or  WASHINOTON 266 

POBTBAIT  or  LOBD  OOBNWALLIl 266 

BATTLB  or  BBD  BANK                 •••••«.•«..  268 

POBTBAIT  or  OBNBBAL  SCBUTLBB          270 

MCBDKB  or  MISS  m'obba 271 

POBTBAIT  or  OBNBBAL  STABK 272 

BATTLB  or  BBNMINOTON      .     .     .    • 278 

POBTBAIT  or  BBNEDIOT  ABNOLD 276 

POBTBAIT  or  OBNBBAL  BVBQOTHl 277 

PORTRAIT  or  LOBD  NOBTH 278 

AMEBI0AN8  AT  YALLBT  lOBOB     ...» 288 

POBTBAIT  or  OBNBBAL  OATBB 284 

PORTRAIT  or  OBNBBAL  MOBOAB    ••••......  286 

PORTRAIT  or  d'bstaino 288 

POBTBAIT  or  OBNBBAL    BUIUTAS 289 

BUIN8  or  WTOMINO 290 

•PKOIHEN  or  CONTINENTAL  BILLS. 294 

PUTNAM'S  BSOAPB 297 


m 


ILLUSTEATIONS. 


PAOI 

'CAFTCBI  or  8T0NT  FOIMT 298 

VOBTBAIT  or  OKNCBAL  UHOOLN 801 

BIATH  or  PDLASKI            ............  803 

tablston's  qvabtebs 806 

BATTI.B  or  OAMDEN  AMD  DEATH  Or  Ol  KALB 807 

rOBTRAIT  or  OOLONEI.  8UHFTKB 809 

POBTBAIT  or  OENEBAL  MABION     .     .     »     .     .     .     .     .     .     ,811 

PORTBAIT  or  QINEBAL  OHEBKI 812  > 

BATTLE  or  TBS  COWPENS 814 

POBTBAIT  or  MAJOB  HKNBT  I.EI 816 

POBTRAIT  or  LOBD  BAWDOM :;•....  819 

POBTBAIT  or  OENEBAL  WATNI 824 

OAFTOBE  or  ANDBB 829 

POBTBAIT  or  HAJOB  ANOBI 880 

POBTBAIT  or  BOOHAMBEAV •     •     .     .     .  882 

BATTLE  BETWEEN  THE  FBENOH  AMD  BMOLUH  fLBBTS 886 

POBTBAIT  or  COLONEL  JOHN  LACBBNI   ...••.«..  887 

BUBBENDEB  Or  OOBNWATLIB 888 

POBTBAIT  or  0UABLB8  JAMES  POX      .........  840 

POBTBAIT  or  QEMEBAI.  OABLETOB     ....•••••  841 

TAILFIEOB 841 

A  WESTEBN  HUNTEB r 842 

OBNAMENTAL  LETTER •..•...  842 

OAPTUBE  or  BOONE 848 

THE  KENTUCKY  FIONEEBB 847 

POBTBAIT  or  OEOBGB  B00EB8  OLABKB     ........  864 

CANADIANS  AND  INDIANS  ENCAMFBO  BBrOBI  BOOH'S  8XATI0>     ....  856 

H0NTINa  SCOUTS,  OB  BAN0EB8 860 

BATTLE  or  THE  BLUE  LICKS «...  871 

POBTBAIT  or  GENEBAL  ST.  OLAIB 880 

POBTBAIT  or  OOTEBNOB  8HELBT 884 

WATNE  DEFEATING  THE  INDIANS ,  400 


w 


VVAES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


CHAPTER  I. 

WAllS  BETWEEN  THE  EARLY  SPANISH  ADVENTUKERS  AND  THE  INDIANS. 

The  Spanisli  adventurers,  who,  in 
the  early  part  of  the  16th  century, 
attempted  to  explore  and  subdue  the 
region  now  forming  the  southern 
portion  of  the  United  States — then 
known  as  Florida,  met  with  a  deter- 
mined resistance.  The  warlike  tribes 
of  that  region,  though  at  first  over- 
awed by  the  splendour  and  power  of 
the  invaders,  were  soon  convinced 
that  their  aims  involved  the  subju- 
gation or  destruction  of  the  native 
population,  and  strove  to  check  their 
further  progress. 
The  first  of  these  adventurers  was 


I  ; 


14 


WARS  BETWEEN  THE  EARLY  SPANISH 


^j-v^VXl''< 


PONCE  DE  LEON, 


Juan  Ponce  de  Leon,  a  famous  warrior.  This  jnan  had  imbibed 
the  belief  that  there  existed,  upon  an  island  somewhere  to  the 
northward,  a  fountain,  endowed  with  such  miraculous  virtue, 
that  any  person,  however  worn  with  age,  who  should  have  ever 
dipped  himself  in  its  waters,  would  rise  restored  to  the  full 
bloom  and  vigour  of  youth.  While  sailing  about  in  the  vain 
search  for  this  wonderful  fountain,  he  came  unexpectedly,  on 
the  27th  of  March,  1512,  in  sight  of  an  extensive  and  beauti- 
ful country.- 

Magnificent  forests,  intermingled  with  flowering  shrubs,  ex 
hibited  so  gay  an  aspect,  that  he  named  it  Florida.  He  landed 
on  the  8th  of  April,  near  the  present  site  of  St.  Augustine ;  and, 
notwithstanding  the  dangers  of  navigation  amid  the  violent 
currents  produced  by  the  gulf-stream  running  among  the  islands, 
he  spent  a  considerable  time  in  tracing  its  outline,  and  finally 
rounded  the  southern  point.  Thus,  though  still  supposing  it  to 
be  an  island,  he  ascertained  that  it  must  be  both  large  and  im- 
portant. This  great  discovery  seems  to  have  weaned  the  mind 
of  the  Spanish  chief  from  his  engrossing  chimera.  He  repaired 
to  Porto  Rico,  and  thence  to  Spain,  laid  before  the  king  the  par- 
ticulars of  the  new  country,  and  obtained  permission  to  conquer 


ADVENTURERS  AND  THE  INDIANS. 


15 


and  rule  it  under  the  pompous  title  of  adelantado.  A  consider- 
able time,  however,  was  consumed  in  preparations  j  and  while 
thus  busied,  he  was  obliged  to  engage  in  suppressing  an  insurrec- 
tion among  the  Caribs.  This  contest  was  attended  with  reverses, 
by  which  he  lost  much  of  his  reputation ;  and  nine  years  elapsed 
before  he  could  conduct  two  ships  to  his  promised  dominion. 
While  planning  a  site  for  a  colony,  he  was  surprised  by  a  large 


PONQE  DE  LEON  MORTALLY  WOCNDEO  IN  FLORIDA. 

body  of  Indians ;  his  men  were  completely  routed  and  himself 
severely  wounded  by  an  arrow.  As  these  people  were  never 
able  afterwards  to  cope  in  the  field  with  Spanish  troops,  this 
disaster  may  lead  us  to  suspect  that  he  really  had  lost  his  former 
military  talent.  Having  regained  the  ship,  he  sailed  to  Cuba, 
where  he  soon  after  died  of  his  wound. 

The  fate  of  Ponce  de  Leon  discouraged  all  such  adventurers 
for  a  considerable  time.  The  next  expedition  of  importance 
was  undertaken  for  the  cruel  purpose  of  enslaving  the  Indians 
and  taking  them  to  the  West  India  islands.  It  was  commanded 
by  Lucas  and  Vasqucz  de  Ayllon.  By  treachery,  a  large  num- 
ber of  Indians  were  secured  and  carried  away.     To  such  infa- 


16 


WARS  BETWEEN   THE   EARLY  SPANISH 


NARTAEZ'  MARCH  FROM  APPALACHEE. 


mous  acts  as  this  we  may  trace  the  determined  hostility  of  some 
of  the,  Florida  tribes.  Pamphilo  de  Narvaez,  the  unfortunate 
rival  of  Cortes,  was  the  next  adventurer.  He  met  with  a  series 
of  disasters  in  his  march  from  Appalachee,  and  finally  perished 
in  a  storm,  with  all  but  four  of  his  men. 

The  next  expedition  was  the  most  memorable  of  all.  Fer- 
nando de  Soto,  who  had  acquired  fame  and  fortune  by  partici- 
pation in  the  conquest  of  Peru,  now  sought  to  win  much  greater 
glory  by  subduing  Florida,  for  which  he  received  full  authority 
from  Charles  V.,  of  Spain. 

On  the  6th  of  April,  1538,  Soto  embarked  his  troops  in  ten 
vessels,  and  sailed  for  Cuba,  which  was  even  placed  under  his 
command,  that  he  might  draw  from  it  every  needful  resource. 
There  he  spent  a  year  in  preparation,  and  Vasco  Porcalho,  a 
veteran,  who,  like  himself,  had  gained  by  the  sword  an  immense 
fortune,  and  was  Hving  in  splendid  retirement,  was  so  delighted 
with  the  noble  appointment  and  bold  spirit  of  the  expedition, 
that  he  joined  it  with  a  train  of  followers  and  large  SiippUes. 
He  was  created  lieutenant-general. 

On  the  18th  of  May,  1539,  the  adelantado  sailed  with  nine 
vessels  from  the  Havana ;  on  the  25th,  he  saw  the  coast  of 
Florida ;  and,  on  the  30th,  landed  in  the  bay  of  Spiritu  Santo, 
which  appears  to  be  not  very  far  from  the  point  chosen  by 
Narvaez. 


ADVENTURERS  AND  THE  INDIANS. 


17 


CHARLES  T. 


Had  Florida,  like  Mexico,  been  under  one  great  government, 
Soto,  with  his  brave  band,  would  have  beaten  the  army,  entered 
the  capital,  and  been  master  of  the  country.  But  he  struggled 
helplessly  agamst  a  multitude  of  fierce  petty  tribes.  They 
offered  no  point  at  which  a  blow  could  be  struck,  and  never  left 
him  master  of  more  than  the  spot  on  which  his  army  stood. 

He  continued,  however,  to  advance,  and  after  many  battles 
with  the  natives,  and  a  tedious  march  through  what  are  now 
the  states  of  Alabama  and  Mississippi,  he  discovered  the  Mis- 
sissippi river,  and  having  constructed  barges,  crossed  it,  and 
marched  with  his  army  to  the  north-west  till  he  entered  Mis- 
souri, always-  hoping  to  find  gold. 

Learning  that  there  lay  a  mountainous  region  to  the  north- 
west, which  seems  to  be  that  at  the  head  of  the  White  River, 
he  proceeded  thither,  in  the  vain  hope  that  the  rocks  might 
contain  gold.  Disappointed  once  more,  he  bent  his  course 
southwards  in  search  of  a  productive  soil,  which  he  found  at 
Cayas,  amid  the  hot  and  saline  spriags  on  the  Upper  Washita. 
Descending  that  river,  he  arrived  at  Autiamque  (Utianangue), 
where  he  resolved  to  pass  his  fourth  dreary  winter.  After  this 
long  and  unfortunate  march,  and  with  his  troops  so  miserably 
reduced,  he  determined  at  last  upon  the  measure,  from  which 
his  mind  had  so  strongly  revolted,  of  returning  to  the  coast, 

B 


18  -      WARS  BETWEEN   THE  EARLY   SPANISH 


80T0  DISCOVERING  THK  MISSISSIPPI. 


and  seeking  reinforcements  from  Cuba  or  Mexico.  He  there- 
fore hastily  descended  the  Washita  to  its  junction  with  the  Red 
River,  and  the  latter  stream  to  its  confluence  with  the  Missis- 
sippi, where  he  found  himself  in  the  territory  of  Guachoya, 
filled  with  a  brave  and  numerous  population.  His  men  being 
now  reduced  to  fewer  than  five  hundred,  and  his  horses,  which 
had  formed  his  chief  strength,  to  forty,  he  could  no  longer  hope 
to  vanquish  in  the  field,  a  brave  though  barbarous  foe.  He 
was  obliged  to  employ  art,  and  act  on  their  superstitious  impres- 
sions  by  stating  that  he  was  the  child  of  the  sun ;  and  availing 
himself  of  their  astonishment  at  seeing  themselves  in  a  mirror, 
pretended  that  in  that  glass  he  could  see  whatever  they  did  at 
any  distance,  and  thus  detect  any  plot  which  might  be  formed 
against  him.     He  was  much  concerned  to  learn  that  the  sea 


ADYENTURERS  AND  THE  INDIANS. 


19 


a  mirror. 


was  yet  far  off,  and  the  road  thither  greatly  obstructed  by 
streams  and  entangled  woods.  Amid  these  anxieties  and  dis- 
tresses, he  was  seized  with  fever,  which,  not  being  treated  with 
due  attention,  closed  in  a  few  days  his  earthly  career. 

Soto  did  not  merit  quite  so  hard  a  destiny,  though  he  was 
one  of  that  bold  bad  race  who,  inflamed  by  the  lust  of  gold, 
trampled  on  prostrate  America.  The  unjust  and  tyrannical 
principles  sanctioned  by  false  views  of  loyalty  and  religion, 
which  impelled  to  these  enormities,  were  in  him  tempered  at 
once  by  much  prudence  and  discretion,  and  also  by  more  than 
the  usual  degree  of  humanity.  Had  not  his  aims  been  frus- 
trated by  the  nature  of  the  country  and  the  fierce  valour  of  the 
people,  he  might  have  founded  a  dominion  on  a  better  basis 
than  any  of  the  other  Spanish  conquerors. 

The  troops,  on  the  death  of  their  commander,  were  struck 
with  deep  alarm.  Moscoso,  his  successor,  endeavoured  to  con- 
ceal the  event  from  the  Indians,  pretending  that  the  general 
had  merely  gone  up  on  a  visit  to  heaven,  whence  he  would 
quickly  return.  Lest  his  grave  should  lead  to  other  conclusions, 
the  body  was  carried  out  at  midnight  into  the  centre  of  the 
great  river,  and,  with  a  weight  attached,  sunk  to  the  bottom. 


20 


WARS  BETWEEN  THE  EARLY  SPANISH 


\ 


The  cacique,  however,  politely  intimated  hia  consciousness  of 
the  true  state  of  the  case  by  presenting  two  handsome  youths, 
in  order  that,  their  heads  being  cut  oft',  they  might  serve  the 
chief  in  the  land  of  souls.  Moscoso,  declining  this  gift,  endea- 
voured  still  to  gain  belief  for  his  first  statement,  though  proba- 
bly with  little  success.  The  party,  meanwhile,  felt  themselves 
seriously  called  upon  to  consider  their  future  plans.  Tc  reach 
a  Spanish  settlement  by  water,  without  vessels,  pilots,  or  charts, 
appearing  quite  desperate,  they  determined  rather  to  attempt  a 
march  to  Mexico,  not  without  a  faint  hope  of  discovering  some 
golden  region  which  might  compensate  all  their  toils.  They 
pushed,  accordingly,  about  three  hundred  miles  westward,  when, 
after  passing  a  great  river,  the  Colorado  de  Texa«,  or  the  Rio 
del  Norte,  the  country  became  almost  a  desert,  and  they  could 
not  make  themseh  s  understood  by  the  inhabitants.  They 
gave  up  all  hope,  and  determined,  at  whatever  cost,  to  return 
and  descend  the  Mississippi.  On  regaining  its  bapks,  they  had, 
like  Narvaez's  party,  to  perform  the  tedious  task  of  construct- 
ing seven  brigantines.  But  they  fortunately  had  among  theii 
number  a  sawyer,  four  or  five  carpenters,  a  caulker,  and  a  cooper, 
and  these  instructed  the  rest.  The  jealousy  of  the  Indians, 
however,  led  to  a  confederacy  which  might  have  been  fatal,  had 
it  not  been  disclosed  by  the  female  captives.  The  rising  of  the 
river  enabled  them  to  avoid  the  danger  by  immediately  setting 
sail ;  though  a  numerous  fleet  of  canoes  pursued,  cut  oft"  a  de- 
tachment, and  harassed  them  during  a  great  part  of  the  voyage. 
In  fifty-two  days  they  arrived,  reduced  to  the  number  of  three 
hundred  and  eleven,  at  the  port  of  Panueo  in  Mexico,  where 
they  were  kindly  received  both  by  the  governor  and  people. 
They  had  marched  in  four  years  upwards  of  five  thousand  miles, 
through  a  savage  and  hostile  region.  They  had  achieved  no- 
thing ;  not  having  left  even  a  vestige  of  their  route,  except  the 
track  of  blood  by  which  it  had  been  too  often  stained. 

These  dreadful  reverses  damped  the  zeal  of  Spain  to  conquer 
or  colonize  Florida;  but  Cancello,  a  Dominican  missionary, 
who  undertook  to  visit  the  country  with  a  view  to  conversion, 
received  ample  encouragement  from  the  government.  The 
sinister  impression,  however,  attached  to  his  nation,  being  ex 


5i» 


ADVENTURERS  AND  THE  INDIANS. 


« 


tecded  to  every  individual  of  it,  he  and  his  companions  were 
put  to  death.  The  Spaniards,  notwithstanding,  continued  to 
claim  Florida,  and  even  the  whole  extent  of  North  America ; 
yet  there  was  not  a  spot  in  that  vast  territory  on  which  one  of 
them  dared  to  set  his  foot. 


bS 


OAPT.  JOHH  IlIITH. 


CHAPTER  II. 

WARS  BETWEEN  THE  EARLY  SETTLERS  OF  VIRGINIA  AND  THE  INDIANS. 

HOSE  who  attempted  to  colonize  Vir- 
ginia, under  the  auspices  of  Sir 
Walter  Raleigh,  were  baffled 
by  the  weakness  and  ineffi- 
^  ciency  of  their  leaders,  and  the 

hostility  of  the  Indians.  In 
spite  of  several  treaties,  the 
red  men  displayed  a  determi- 
nation to  prevent  the  whites 
from  settling  in  the  country. 
The  efforts  of  the  London  Company  were  more  successful.  On 
the  29th  of  April,  1607,  a  hundred  and  ten  emigrants  arrived 
cm  the  coast  of  Virginia,  at  a  point,  which,  in  honour  of  the 
Prince  of  Wales,  they  named  Cape  Henry.  They  afterwards 
formed  a  settlement  on  James  river,  called  Jamestown. 

if  (22^ 


i      I 


WXnS  BETWEEN  THE   EARLY  SETTLERS,  ETC. 


23 


termi- 


(      f 


But  however  well  chosen  tte  situation  might  be,  the  members 
of  the  colony  were  far  from  availing  themselves  of  its  advan- 
tages. Violent  animosities  had  broken  out  among  some  of  their 
leaders,  during  their  voyage  to  Virginia.  These  did  not  sub- 
side on  their  arrival  there.  The  first  deed  of  the  council,  which 
assumed  the  government  in  virtue  of  a  commission  brought 
from  England  under  the  seal  of  the  company,  and  opened  on 
the  day  after  they  landed,  was  an  act  of  injustice.  Capt.  Smith, 
who  had  been  appointed  a  member  of  the  council,  was  excluded 
from  his  seat  at  the  board  by  the  mean  jealousy  of  his  colleagues, 
and  not  only  reduced  to  the  condition  of  a  private  man,  but  of 
one  suspected  and  watched  by  his  superiors.  This  diminution 
of  his  influence,  and  restraint  on  his  activity,  was  an  essential 
injury  to  the  colony,  which  at  that  juncture  stood  in  need  of 
the  aid  of  both.  For  soon  after  they  began  to  settle,  the  Eng- 
lish were  involved  in  a  war  with  the  natives,  partly  by  their 
own  indiscretion,  and  partly  by  the  suspicion  and  ferocity  of 
those  barbarians.  And  although  the  Indians,  scattered  over 
the  countries  adjacent  to  James  river,  were  divided  into  inde- 
pendent tribes,  so  extremely  feeble  that  hardly  one  of  them 
could  muster  above  two  hundred  warriors,  they  teased  and  an- 
noyed an  infant  colony  by  their  incessant  hostilities.  To  this 
was  added  a  calamity  still  more  dreadftil ;  the  stock  of  provi- 
sions left  for  their  subsistence,  on  the  departure  of  their  ships 
for  England,  was  so  scanty  and  of  such  bad  quality,  that  a 
scarcity,  approaching  almost  to  absolute  famine,  soon  followed. 
Such  poor  unwholesome  fare  soon  brought  on  diseases,  the  vio- 
lence of  which  was  so  much  increased  by  the  sultry  heat  of  the 
climate,  and  the  moisture  of  a  country  covered  with  wood,  that 
before  the  beginning  of  September  one-half  of  their  number 
died,  and  most  of  the  survivors  were  sickly  and  dejected.  In 
such  tr3dng  extremities  the  comparative  powers  of  ever^^  indivi- 
dual are  discovered  and  called  forth,  and  each  naturally  takes 
that  station  and  assumes  that  ascendant,  to  which  he  is  entitled 
by  his  talents  and  force  of  mind.  Every  eye  was  now  turned 
towards  Smith,  and  all  willingly  devolved  on  him  that  authority 
of  which  they  had  formerly  deprived  him.  His  undaunted 
temper,  deeply  tinctured  with  the  wild  romantic  spirit  charac- 
teristic of  military  adventurers  in  that  age,  was   peculiarly 


M 


WARS  BETWEEN  THE  EARLY  SETTLERS 


suited  to  such  a  rituation.  The  vigour  of  his  constitution  con- 
tinued fortunately  still  unimpaired  by  disease,  and  his  mind 
was  never  appalled  by  danger.  He  instantly  adopted  the  only 
plan  that  could  save  them  from  destruction.  He  began  by  sur- 
rounding Jamestown  with  such  rude  fortifications  as  were  a 
sufficient  defence  against  the  assaults  of  savages.  He  then 
marched  at  the  head  of  a  small  detachment  in  quest  of  their 
enemies.  Some  tribes  he  gained  by  caresses  and  presents,  and 
procured  from  them  a  supply  of  provisions.  Others  he  attacked 
with  open  force ;  and  defeating  them  on  every  occasion,  what- 
ever their  superiority  in  numbers  might  be,  compelled  them  to 
impart  to  him  some  portion  of  their  winter  stores.  As  the  re- 
compense of  all  his  toils  and  dangers,  he  saw  abundance  and 
contentment  re-established  in  the  colony,  and  hoped  that  he 
should  be  able  to  maintain  them  in  that  happy  state,  until  the 
arrival  of  ships  from  England  in  the  spring :  but  in  one  of  his 
excursions  he  was  surprised  by  a  numerous  body  of  Indians, 
and  in  making  his  escape  from  them,  after  a  gallant  defence,  he 
sunk  to  the  neck  in  a  swamp,  and  was  obliged  to  surrender. 
Though  he  knew  well  what  a  dreadful  fate  awaits  the  prisoners 
of  savages,  his  presence  of  mind  did  not  forsake  him.  He 
showed  those  who  had  taken  him  captive  a  mariner's  compass, 
and  amused  them  witll  so  many  wonderful  accounts  of  its  vir- 
tues, as  filled  them  with  astonishment  and  veneration,  which 
began  to  operate  very  powerfully  in  his  favour.  They  led  him, 
however,  in  triumph  through  various  parts  of  the  country,  and 
conducted  him  at  last  to  Powhatan,  the  most  considerable  sachem 
in  that  part  of  Virginia.  There  the  doom  of  death  being  pro- 
nounced, he  was  was  led  to  the  place  of  execution,  and  his  head 
already  bowed  down  to  receive  the  fatal  blow,  when  that  fond 
attachment  of  the  American  women  to  their  European  invaders, 
the  beneficial  eflfects  of  which  the  Spaniards  often  experienced, 
interposed  in  his  behalf  The  favourite  daughter  of  Powhatan 
rushed  in  between  him  and  the  executioner,  and  by  her  en- 
treaties and  tears  prevailed  on  her  father  to  spare  his  life.  The 
beneficence  of  his  deliverer,  whom  the  early  English  writers 
dignify  with  the  title  of  the  princess  Pocahontas,  did  not  ter- 
minate here ;  she  soon  after  procured  his  liberty,  and  sent  him 
from  time  to  time  seasonable  presents  of  provisions.    Smith, 


i 


«ld 


I 


w 


^J^ssst^^::^sf- 


vooAaonAi  gATiiia  m  \xn  or  oaptau  smith. 


■  «■ 


^25) 


OF  YIRGINIA  AND  THE  INDIANS. 


27 


on  his  return  to  Jamestown,  found  the  colony  reduced  to  thirty- 
eight  persons,  who  in  despair  were  preparing  to  abandon  a 
country  which  did  not  seem  destined  to  be  the  habitation  of 
Englishmen.  He  employed  caresses,  threats,  and  even  violence, 
in  order  to  prevent  them  from  executing  this  fatal  resolution. 
With  difficulty  he  prevailed  on  them  to  defer  it  so  long,  that 
the  succour  anxiously  expected  from  England  arrived.  Plenty 
was  instantly  restored ;  a  hundred  new  planters  were  added  to 
their  number ;  and  an  ample  stock  of  whatever  was  requisite 
for  clearing  and  sowing  the  ground  was  delivered  to  them. 

As  long  as  the  bold  and  prudent  Smith  remained  in  the 
colony,  it  was  prosperous.  But  when  an  accident  compelled 
him  to  return  to  England,  everything  tended  towards  anarchy 
and  ruin.  The  Indians  not  only  withheld  supplies,  but  renewed 
hostilities  and  harassed  the  colonists  continually.  At  length, 
when  the  number  of  settlers  was  reduced  from  500  to  60, 
Gates  and  Summers  arrived,  with  a  reinforcement  and  supplies. 
Still  the  English  were  about  to  return  to  their  native  land, 
when  they  were  met  by  Lord  Delaware  with  three  ships,  a  large 
quantity  of  provisions,  the  means  of  defence  and  cultivation, 
and  a  number  of  new  colonists.  Under  Lord  Delaware's  orders 
the  settlement  was  founded  on  a  stronger  basis,  and  it  flourished. 
Mr.  Percy  and  Sir  Thomas  Dale,  who  succeeded  him  in  office, 
were  successful  in  maintaining  order.  The  marriage  of  the 
famous  Pocahontas  with  Mr.  Rolfe,  secured  the  friendship  of 
Powhatan,  and  during  the  life  of  that  powerful  prince,  the  Li- 
dians  remained  on  peaceful  terms  with  the  whites.  The  colony 
increased  in  numbers  and  wealth  under  the  influence  of  industry 
and  a  free  government. 

But  while  the  colony  continued  to  increase  so  fast,  that  settle- 
ments were  scattered  not  only  along  the  banks  of  James  and 
York  rivers,  but  began  to  extend  to  the  Rappahannock,  and 
even  to  the  Potomac,  the  English,  relying  on  their  own 
numbers,  and  deceived  by  this  appearance  of  prosperity,  lived 
in  full  security.  They  neither  attended  to  the  movements  of 
the  Indians,  nor  suspected  their  machinations ;  and  though  sur- 
rounded by  a  people  whom  they  might  have  known  from  ex- 
perience to  be  both  artful  and  vindictive,  they  neglected  every 
precaution  for  their  own  safety  that  was  requisite  in  such  a 


26 


WARS  BETWEEN  THE  EARLT  SETTLERS 


eituation.  Like  the  peaceful  inhabitants  of  a  society  completely 
established,  they  were  no  longer  soldiers  but  citizens,  and  were 
so  intent  on  what  was  subservient  to  the  comfort  or  embellish- 
ment of  civil  life,  that  every  martial  exercise  began  to  be  laid 
aside  as  unnecessary.  The  Indians,  whom  they  commonly  em- 
ployed as  hunters,  were  furnished  with  fire-arms,  and  taught  to 
use  them  with  dexterity.  They  were  permitted  to  frequent 
the  habitations  of  the  English  at  all  hours,  and  received  as  in- 
nocent visitants  whom  there  was  no  reason  to  dread.  This  in- 
considerate security  enabled  the  Indians  to  prepare  for  the  exe- 
cution of  that  plan  of  vengeance,  which  they  meditated  with 
all  the  deliberate  forethought  which  is  agreeable  to  their  temper. 
Nor  did  they  want  a  leader  capable  of  conducting  their  schemes 
with  address.  On  the  death  of  Powhatan,  in  the  year  1618, 
Opechancanough  succeeded  him,  not  only  as  wirowance,  or 
chief  of  his  own  tribe,  but  in  that  extensive  influence  over  all 
the  Indian  nations  of  Virginia,  which  induced  the  English 
writers  to  distinguish  him  by  the  name  of  Emperor.  Accord- 
ing to  the  Indian  tradition  he  was  not  a  native  of  Virginia,  but 
came  from  a  distant  country  to  the  southwest,  possibly  from 
some  province  of  the  Mexican  empire.  But  as  he  was  conspi- 
cuous for  all  the  qualities  of  highest  estimation  among  savages, 
a  fearless  courage,  great  strength  and  agility  of  body,  and  crafty 
policy,  he  quickly  rose  to  eminence  and  power.  Soon  after  his 
elevation  to  the  supreme  command,  a  general  massacre  of  the 
English  seems  to  have  been  resolved  upon ;  and  during  four 
years  the  means  of  perpetrating  it  with  the  greatest  facility  and 
success  were  concerted  with  amazing  secrecy.  All  the  tribes 
contiguous  to  the  English  settlements  were  successively  gained, 
except  those  on  the  eastern  shore,  from  whom,  on  account  of 
their  peculiar  attachment  to  their  new  neighbours,  every  cir- 
cumstance that  might  discover  what  they  intended  was  care- 
fully concealed.  To  each  tribe  its  station  was  allotted,  and  the 
part  it  was  to  act  prescribed.  On  the"  morning  of  the  day  con- 
secrated to  vengeance,  each  was  at  the  place  of  rendezvous  ap- 
pointed, while  the  English  were  so  little  aware  of  the  impending 
destruction,  that  they  received  with  unsuspicious  hospitality 
several  persons  sent  by  Opechancanough,  under  pretext  of  de- 
livering presents  of  venison  and  fruits,  but  in  reality  to  observe 


OF  VIRGINIA  AND  THE  INDIANS. 


29 


their  motions.  Finding  them  perfectly  secure,  at  mid-day,  the 
moment  that  was  previously  fixed  for  this  deed  of  horror,  the 
Indians  rushed  at  once  upon  them  in  all  their  different  settle- 
ments, and  murdered  men,  women,  and  children,  with  undis- 
tinguishing  rage,  and  .that  rancorous  cruelty  with  which  savages 
treat  their  enemies.  In  one  hour  nearly  a  fourth  part  of  the 
whole  colony  was  cut  off,  almost  without  knowing  by  whose 
hands  they  fell.  The  slaughter  would  have  been  universal,  if 
compassion  or  a  sense  of  duty  had  not  moved  a  converted  Indian, 


T&E  CHRISTIAN  INDIAN  DISCL08INO  THE   INTENDED  ';<AS8A0IUB. 

to  whom  the  secret  was  communicated  the  night  before  the 
massacre,  to  reveal  it  to  his  master  in  such  time  as  to  save 
Jamestown  and  some  adjacent  settlements ;  and  if  the  English 
in  other  districts  had  not  run  to  their  arms  with  resolution 
prompted  by  despair,  and  defended  themselves  so  bravely  as  to 
repulse  their  assailants,  who,  in  the  execution  of  their  plan,  did 
not  discover  courage  equal  to  the  sagacity  and  art  with  which 
they  had  concerted  it. 

But  though  the  blow  was  thus  prevented  from  descending 

with  its  full  effect,  it  proved  very  grievous  to  an  infant  colony. 

In  some  settlements  not  a  single  Englishman  escaped.     Many 

persons  of  prime  note  in  the  colony,  and,  among  these,  several 

4  C 


K 1 
•i 


30 


WARS  BETWEEN  THE  EARLY  SETTLERS 


THE   GREAT  UASSACRB. 


members  of  the  council,  were  slain.  The  survivors,  over- 
whelmed with  grief,  astonishment,  and  terror,  abandoned  all 
their  remote  settlements,  and  crowding  together  for  safety  to 
Jamestown,  did  not  occupy  a  territory  of  greater  extent  than 
had  been  planted  soon  after  the  arrival  of  their  countrymen  in 
Virginia.  Confined  within  those  narrow  boundaries,  they  were 
less  intent  on  schemes  of  industry  than  on  thoughts  of  revenge. 
Every  man  took  arms.  A  bloody  war  against  the  Indians  com- 
menced ;  and,  bent  on  exterminating  the  whole  race,  neither 
old  nor  young  were  spared.  The  conduct  of  the  Spaniards  iu 
the  southern  regions  of  America  was  openly  proposed  as  the 
most  proper  model  to  imitate ;  and  regardless,  like  them,  of 
those  principles  of  faith,  honour,  and  humanity,  which  regulate 
hostility  among  civilized  nations  and  set  bounds  to  its  rage,  the 
English  deemed  everything  allowable  that  tended  to  accomplish 
their  design.  They  hunted  the  Indians  like  wild  beasts  rather 
than  enemies ;  and  as  the  pursuit  of  them  to  their  places  of 
retreat  in  the  woods,  which  covered  the  country,  was  both  diffi- 
cult and  dangerous,  they  endeavoured  to  allure  them  from  their 
inaccessible  fastnesses  by  offers  of  peace  and  promises  of  oblivion, 
made  with  such  an  artful  appearance  of  sincerity  as  deceived 


OP  VIRGINIA  AND  THE  INDIANS. 


31 


their  crafty  leader,  and  induced  them  to  return  to  their  former 
settlements,  and  resume  their  usual  peaceful  occupations.  The 
behaviour  of  the  two  people  seemed  now  to  be  perfectly  reversed. 
The  Indians,  like  men  acquainted  with  the  principles  of  integrity 
and  good  faith,  on  which  the  intercourse  between  nations  is 
founded,  confided  in  the  reconciliation,  and  lived  in  absolute 
security  without  suspicion  of  danger ;  while  the  English,  with 
perfidious  craft,  were  preparing  to  imitate  savages  in  their  re- 
venge and  cruelty.  On  the  approach  of  harvest,  when  they 
knew  a  hostile  attack  would  be  most  formidable  and  fatal, 
they  fell  suddenly  upon  all  the  Indian  plantations,  murdered 
every  person  on  whom  they  could  lay  hold,  and  drove  the  rest 
to  the  woods,  where  so  many  perished  with  hunger,  that  some 
of  the  tribes  nearest  to  the  English  were  totally  extirpated. 
This  atrocious  deed,  which  the  perpetrators  laboured  to  repre- 
sent as  a  necessary  act  of  retaliation,  was  followed  by  some 
happy  efiects.  It  delivered  the  colony  so  entirely  from  any 
dread  of  the  Indians,  that  its  settlements  began  again  to  extend, 
and  its  industry  to  revive. 

The  colony  continued  to  enjoy  the  blessings  of  peace  until 
after  the  restoration,  when  Sir  William  Berkeley  was  governor. 
The  agedOpechancanough  then  planned  another  massacre,  which 
was  carried  into  effect  on  the  18th  of  April,  1644,  when,  as  by 
a  stroke  of  lightning,  five  hundred  whites  were  slain.  The 
English  immediately  took  up  arms,  and  after  a  short  conflict, 
almost  annihilated  the  power  of  the  Indians.  Opechancanough 
was  made  prisoner,  and  after  being  treated  with  great  indignity, 
was  killed  by  a  soldier.  The  colony  enjoyed  peace  until  "  Ba- 
con's rebellion,"  when  the  Indians  becoming  again  hostile,  they 
were  completely  crushed. 


\    \ 


li 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE  PEQUOD  WAR. 

-  >  ^10  ^^-^  contest  between  the  English 
11  and  the  Pequod  Indians  was  the 
first  in  which  the  whites  and  the 
red  men  were  brought  in  coUision 
in  New  England.  The  tribes  of 
Indians  around  Massachusetts  bay 
were  feeble  and  unwarlike;  yet 
from  regard  to  justice,  as  well  as 
motives  of  prudence,  the  first  co- 
lonists were  studious  to  obtain  the  consent  of  the  natives  before 
they  ventured  to  occupy  any  of  their  lands ;  and  though  in  such 
trxnsactions  the  consideration  given  was  often  very  inadequate 
to  the  value  of  the  territory  acquired,  it  was  sufficient  to  satisfy 
the  demands  of  the  proprietors.  The  English  took  quiet  pos- 
session of  the  lands  thus  conveyed  to  them,  and  no  open  hos- 
tility broke  out  between  theai  and  the  ancient  possessors.  But 
the  colonies  of  Providence  and  Connecticut  soon  found  that 
they  were  surrounded  by  more  powerful  and  martial  nations. 

(32) 


( 


le 
le 
•n 
)f 

y 
it 

IS 

> 

h 
e 

y 

t 
t 


THE  PEQUOD  WAR. 


88 


Among  these  the  most  considerable  were  the  Narragansets  and 
Pequods ;  the  former  seated  on  the  bay  which  bears  their  name, 
and  the  latter  occupying  the  territory  which  stretches  from  the 
river  Pequod  along  the  banks  of  the  Connecticut.  The  Pequods 
were  a  formidable  people,  who  could  bring  into  the  field  a 
thousand  warriors  not  inferior  in  courage  to  any  in  the  New 
World.  They  foresaw,  not  only  that  the  extermination  of  the 
Indian  race  must  be  the  consequence  of  permitting  the  English 
to  spread  over  the  continent  of  America,  but  that,  if  measures 
were  not  speedily  concerted  to  prevent  it,  the  calamity  would 
be  unavoidable.  With  this  view  they  applied  to  the  Narragan- 
sets, requesting  them  to  forget  ancient  animosities  for  a  moment, 
and  to  co-operate  with  them  in  expelling  a  common  enemy  who 
threatened  both  with  destruction.  They  represented  that,  when 
those  strangers  first  landed,  the  object  of  their  visit  was  not 
suspected,  and  no  proper  precautions  were  taken  to  check  their 
progress ;  that  now,  by  sending  out  colonies  in  one  year  towards 
three  different  quarters,  their  intentions  were  manifest,  and  the 
people  of  America  must  abandon  their  native  seats  to  make 
way  for  unjust  intruders. 

But  the  Narragansets  and  Pequods,  like  most  of  the  contiguous 
tribes  in  America,  were  rivals,  and  there  subsisted  between 
them  an  hereditary  and  implacable  enmity.  Revenge  is  the 
darling  passion  of  savages ;  in  order  to  secure  the  indulgence  of 
which  there  is  no  present  advantage  that  they  will  not  sacrifice, 
and  no  future  consequence  which  they  do  not  totally  disregard. 
The  Narragansets,  instead  of  closing  with  the  prudent  proposal 
of  their  neighbours,  discovered  their  hostile  intentions  to  the 
governor  of  Massachusetts  Bay ;  and,  eager  to  lay  hold  on  such 
a  favourable  opportunity  of  wreaking  their  vengeance  on  their 
ancient  foes,  entered  into  an  alliance  with  the  English  against 
them.  The  Pequods,  more  exasperated  than  discouraged  by 
the  imprudence  and  treachery  of  their  countrjnnen,  took  the 
field,  and  carried  on  the  war  in  the  usual  mode  of  Indians. 
They  surprised  stragglers,  and  scalped  them :  they  plundered 
and  b'lmt  remote  settlements;  they  attacked  Fort  Say  Brook 
without  success,  though  garrisoned  only  by  twenty  men ;  and 
when  the  English  began  to  act  offensively,  they  retired  to  fast- 
nesses which  they  deemed  inaccessible.     The  diJ0ferent  colonies- 

o2 


1 


34 


THE   PEQUOD  WAR. 


had  agreed  to  unite  against  the  common  enemy,  each  furnishing 
a  quota  of  men  in  proportion  to  its  numbers.  The  troops  of 
Connecticut,  which  lay  most  exposed  to  danger,  were  soon  as- 
sembled. The  march  of  those  from  Massachusetts,  which 
formed  the  most  considerable  body,  was  retarded  by  the  most 
singular  cause  that  ever  influenced  the  operations  of  a  military 
force.  When  they  were  mustered  previous  to  their  departure, 
it  was  found  that  some  of  the  officers,  as  well  as  of  the  private 
soldiers,  were  still  under  a  covenant  of  works ;  and  that  the 
blessing  of  God  could  not  be  implored  or  expected  to  crown  the 
arms  of  such  unhallowed  men  with  success.  The  alarm  was 
general,  and  many  arrangements  necessary  in  order  to  cast  out 
the  unclean,  and  to  render  this  little  band  sufficiently  pure  to 
fight  the  battles  of  a  people  who  entertained  high  ideas  of  their 
own  sanctity. 

Meanwhile  the  Connecticut  troops,  reinforced  by  a  small  de- 
tachment from  Say  Brook,  found  it  necessary  to  advance  towards 
the  enemy.  The  latter  were  posted  on  a  rising  ground,  in  the 
middle  of  a  swamp  towards  the  head  of  the  river  Mistick,  which 
they  had  surrounded  with  palisadoes,  the  best  defence  that  their 
slender  skill  in  the  art  of  fortification  had  discovered.  Though 
they  knew  that  the  English  were  in  motion,  yet,  with  the  usual 
improvidence  and  security  of  savages,  they  took  no  measures  ei- 
ther to  observe  their  progress,  or  to  guard  against  being  surprised 
themselves.  The  enemy,  unperceived,  reached  the  palisadoes; 
and  if  a  dog  had  not  given  the  alarm  by  barking,  the  Indians 
must  have  been  massacred  without  resistance.  In  a  moment, 
however,  they  started  to  arms,  and,  raising  the  war-cry,  pre- 
pared to  repel  the  assailants.  But  at  that  early  period  of  their 
intercourse  with  the  Europeans,  the  Indians  were  little  ac- 
quainted with  the  use  of  gunpowder,  and  dreaded  its  effects 
extremely.  While  some  of  the  English  galled  them  with  an 
incessant  fire  through  the  intervals  between  the  palisadoes, 
others  forced  their  way  by  the  entries  into  the  fort,  filled  only 
with  branches  of  trees ;  and  setting  fire  to  the  huts,  which  were 
covered  with  reeds,  the  confusion  and  terror  quickly  became 
general.  Many  of  the  women  and  children  perished  in  the 
flames ;  and  the  warriors,  in  endeavouring  to  escape,  were  either 
slain  by  the  English,  or,  falling  into  the  hands  of  their  Indian 


I 


\  I 


THE  PEQUOD  WAR. 


85 


-.«, 


DESTRUCTION  OF    THE    PEQUODS. 


allies,  who  surrounded  the  fort  at  a  distance,  were  reserved  for 
a  more  cruel  fate.  After  the  junction  of  the  troops  from  Mas- 
sachusetts, the  English  resolved  to  pursue  their  victory ;  and 
hunting  the  Indians  from  one  place  of  retreat  to  another,  some 
subsequent  encounters  were  hardly  less  fatal  to  them  than  the 
action  on  the  Mistick.  In  less  than  three  months  the  tribe 
of  Pequods  was  extirpated;  a  few  miserable  fugitives,  who 
took  refuge  among  the  neighbouring  Indians,  being  incorporated, 
by  them,  lost  their  name  as  a  distinct  people.  In  this  first 
essay  of  their  arms  the  colonists  of  New  England  seem  to  have 
been  conducted  by  skilful  and  enterprising  officers,  and  dis- 
played both  courage  and  perseverance  as  soldiers.  But  they 
stained  their  laurels  by  the  use  which  they  made  of  victory. 
Instead  of  treating  the  Pequods  as  an  independent  people,  who 
made  a  gallant  effort  to  defend  the  property,  the  rights,  and 
the  freedom  of  their  nation,  they  retaliated  upon  them  all  the 
barbarities  of  Indian  war.  Some  they  massacred  in  cold 
blood,  others  they  gave  up  to  be  tortured  by  their  Indian  allies, 
a  considerable  number  they  sold  as  slaves  in  Bermudas,  the 


if 


36 


THE  PEQUOD  WAR. 


rest  were  reduced  to  servitude  among  themselves.  But  repre- 
hensible as  this  conduct  of  the  English  must  be  deemed,  their 
vigorous  efforts  in  this  decisive  campaign  filled  all  the  sur- 
rounding tribes  of  Indians  with  such  a  high  opinion  of  their 
valour,  as  secured  a  long  tranquillity  to  all  their  settlements. 


V 


;!      I 


TRBATT  WITH   HASSABOIT. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

KING  PHILIP'S  WAR. 

FTER  the  Pequod  War,  the  colonists  of 
New  England  and  the  Indians  in  their 
vicinity,  maintained  peaceful  relations — 
though  there  was  an  occasional  exhibition 
of  jealousy — for  many  years.     The  tribes 
nearest  to  the  Plymouth  settlers  were  the 
Wampanoags  or  Pokanokets,  the  Narra- 
gansets,  and  the  Mohegans.     Between  the 
Mohegans  and  the  Narragansets  a  con- 
stant feud  existed,  which  the  English  had  much  trouble  to  keej.» 
from  breaking  out  in  open  war.     Massasoit,  the  chief  of  tin- 
Wampanoags,   remained  the  friend  of  the  English  until  hi^ 
5  (37^ 


Il 


88 


KINO  PHILIPS  WAR. 


death.  He  left  two  sons,  who  were  called  Alexander  und  Philip. 
These  rt'iiowed  the  treaty  with  the  Englinh.  Alexander,  being 
the  elder,  assumed  power  on  the  death  of  his  father.  The 
English,  suHiwcting  him  of  plotting  with  the  Narragansets  for 
the  extermination  of  the  colonists,  sent  for  him  to  answer  the 
charges  of  the  court  at  Plymouth.  It  is  said  that  ho  was  there 
rather  roughly  treated,  and  being  of  a  proud  spirit,  he  Ijecame 
so  exasperated  that  he  fell  into  a  fever,  and  died  before  he  could 
reach  home.     This  was  about  1657. 

The  daring,  yet  wily  Philip,  succeeded  to  his  brother's  au- 
thority. He  treated  with  the  colonists,  and  professed  friendship, 
to  lull  them  into  a  feeling  of  security  while  he  matured  a  grand 
scheme  for  their  extermination.  He  desired  to  fonn  a  union 
of  all  the  New  England  tribes,  and  for  this  great  purpose  he 
used  all  the  arts  of  an  able  politician.  Determination,  eloquence, 
and  deep  knowledge  of  human  nature,  were  conspicuous  features 
of  his  character.  The  English  were  watchful,  and  prevented 
the  great  chief  from  proceeding  very  rapidly  towards  the  con- 
summation of  his  sclieme. 

In  1671,  he  made  a  loud  complaint  that  some  of  the  English 
injured  his  land,  which,  in  the  end,  proved  to  be  false.  A  meeting 
was  held  at  Taunton  not  long  after,  in  consequence  of  the  hostile 
appearance  of  Philip's  men,  by  Gov.  Prince,  of  Plymouth,  and 
deputies  from  Massachusetts.  Philip  was  sent  for  to  give 
reasons  for  such  warlike  appearances.  He  discovered  extreme 
shyness,  and,  for  some  time,  would  not  come  to  the  town ;  and 
when  he  did  it  was  with  a  large  band  of  warriors.  He  would 
not  consent  to  go  into  the  meeting-house,  where  the  delegates 
were,  until  it  was  agreed  that  his  men  should  be  on  one 
side  of  the  house,  and  the  English  on  the  other.  On  being 
questioned,  he  denied  having  any  ill  designs  upon  the  English, 
and  said  that  he  came  with  his  men  armed  to  prevent  any  attacks 
from  the  Narragansets ;  but  this  falsehood  was  at  once  detected, 
and  it  was  evident  that  they  were  united  in  their  operations. 
It  was  also  proved  before  him,  that  he  had  meditated  an  attack 
on  Taunton,  which  he  confessed.  These  steps  so  confounded 
him  that  he  consented  to  deliver  all  his  arms  into  the  hands  of 
the  English  as  an  indemnity  for  past  damages.  All  of  the  guns 
which  he  brought  with  him,  about  70,  were  delivered,  and  the 


1 1 


' 


t  I 


KINO   PIIILIl'S   WAR. 


rest  wero  to  be  Bcnt  in,  but  were  not.  This  prevented  im- 
mediate war,  and  it  required  sevoral  years  to  repair  their  lo8» 
Philip  was  industrious  to  do  this,  and,  at  the  same  time,  used 
his  endeavours  to  cause  other  trifxjs  to  engage  in  his  cause. 
Ho  was  not  ready  when  the  war  did  begin,  to  which,  in  some 
measure,  wo  may  attribute  h\n  fiailure. 

In  March,  1675,  Jolm  Sasna-  ion,  an  Indian,  who  had  l)con 
Philip's  chief  counsellor,  and  who  had  kept  the  English  in- 
formed of  the  plans  of  the  Wampanoag  chief,  was  found  mur- 
dered, and  Philip  was  charged  with  having  instigated  the  deed. 
Three  of  his  men  wero  tried  for  the  commission  of  the  crime, 
and  convicted.  Two  of  them  persisted  in  declaring  their  in- 
nocence to  the  end,  and  the  third  denied  that  he  had  any  hand 
in  the  murder,  but  said,  that  he  saw  others  commit  it.  The 
three  Indians  were  executed.  Philip  had  now  no  resource  but 
open  war.  He  was  determined  never  to  fall  alive  into  the  Imnds 
of  tiie  English,  for  whom  hi>?  hate  was  inextinguishable.  lie 
could  bring  between  three  and  four  thousand  warriors  into  the 
field,  but  they  were  not  supplied  with  fire-arms,  and  were 
tlierefore  unfit  to  contend  with  the  English.  The  colonistH  of 
Now  England  at  this  period  numbered  120,000,  and  their 
nui)\ber  of  fighting  men  was  about  10,000. 

Philip  began  the  war  by  killing  the  cattle  and  rifling  the 
houses  of  the  English  settlers.  One  of  these  sufierers  shot  an 
Indian.  The  Indiana  retaliated,  by  killing  all  the  English  that 
were  in  their  power.  Eight  or  nine  were  slain  in  one  day,  at 
Swanzey,  and  its  vicinity.  Skirmishes  followed,  with  various 
success.  The  Indians  retreated  into  a  swamp,  from  which  they 
fired,  and  killed  several  of  the  English.  The  former  retired 
deeper  into  the  swamp.  The  latter,  finding  that  they  attacked 
the  Indians  in  the  swamps  under  great  disadvantages,  resolved 
to  starve  them ;  but  the  Indians  found  means  to  escape. 

Captain  Hutchinson,  with  twenty  horsemen,  while  pursuing 
the  Indians  fell  into  an  ambuscade,  and  lost  almost  all  his  men. 
A  few  escaped ;  but  were  closely  pursued  by  the  Indians,  who 
assaulted  the  town,  to  which  the  vanquished  had  fled.  The 
pursuing  savages  set  fire  to  every  house,  excepting  one,  to  which 
all  the  inhabitants  had  gathered,  for  security.  When  they  had 
nearly  succeeded  in  firing  that  also,  Major  Willard  arrived,  with 


t 


10 


KING  Philip's  "war. 


ATTACK    OX    DEERFIRLD. 


forty-eight  dragoons,  and  disi)ersed  them.  The  Hadley  Indians 
were  attacked,  at  a  place  called  Sugarloaf  Hill ;  and  about 
twenty-six  of  them  were  slain,  as  were  also  about  half  of  the 
assailants.  These  Indians  rallied,  and,  obtaining  new  associates, 
fell  upon  Deerfield,  killed  one  man,  and  laid  most  of  the  town 
in  ashes.  On  the  same  day,  Hadley  was  alarmed  by  the  Indians, 
in  the  time  of  public  worship,  and  the  people  thrown  into  the 
utmost  confusion  ;  but  the  enemy  were  repulsed,  by  the  valour 
and  good  conduct  of  an  aged,  venerable  man,  who,  suddenly 
appearing  in  the  midst  of  the  affrighted  inhabitants,  put  him- 
self at  their  head,  led  them  to  the  onset,  and  instantly  dispersed 
the  enemy.  This  deliverer  of  Hadley,  supposed  by  some  to  be 
an  angel,  was  General  Goffe,  one  of  the  Judges  of  Charles  the 
first,  who  was  at  that  time  concealed  in  the  town. 

The  Springfield  Indians,  though  previously  friendly  to  the 
English,  perfidiously  concurr'^d  with  Philip's  Indians,  to  bum 
the  town  of  Springfield,  and  actually  succeeded  so  far,  as  to 
bum  thirty-two  houses ;  but  the  remainder  of  the  town  was 
f>aved.    The  confederation  of  the  New  England  colonies  wap  nf>w 


,v 


lans 

)OUt 

the 
,tes, 
)wn 
ms, 
the 
our 
nly 
im- 
sed 
•  be 
the 

the 

am 

to 

vas 


KING  PHILIPS  WAR. 


41 


found  of  great  service.  The  war  on  the  part  of  the  Indians 
was  conducted  with  so  much  ability,  vigour,  and  perseverance, 
as  to  require  the  united  eflfortof  the  confederated  colonies.  They 
severally  furnished  their  quotas,  and  proc^ded,  with  combined 
forces  and  counsels,  to  attack  their  common  foe.  The  Indians, 
apprised  of  an  armament  intended  against  them,  had  fortified 
themselves  very  strongly,  within  the  swamp.  The  English, 
without  waiting  to  draw  up  in  order  of  battle,  marched  forward, 
in  quest  of  the  enemy's  camp.  Some  Indians,  appearing  at  the 
edge  of  the  swamp,  were  no  sooner  fired  upon  by  the  English, 
than  they  returned  the  fire,  and  fled.  The  whole  army  now 
entered  the  swamp,  and  followed  the  Indians  to  their  fortress. 
It  stood  on  a  rising  ground,  in  the  midst  of  the  swamp,  and  was 
composed  of  palisades,  which  were  encompassed  by  a  thick 
hedge.  It  had  but  one  practicable  entrance,  which  was  over  a 
log,  four  or  five  feet  from  the  ground ;  and  that  aperture  was 
guarded  by  a  block-house.  The  English  captains  entered  it,  at 
the  head  of  their  companies.  The  two  first,  Johnson  and 
Davenport,  with  many  of  their  men,  were  shot  dead  at  the 
entrance.  Four  other  captains,  Gardner,  Gallop,  Siely,  and 
Marshal,  were  also  killed.  When  the  troops  had  efiected  an 
entrance,  they  attacked  the  Indians,  who  fought  desperately, 
and  beat  the  English  out  of  the  fort.  After  a  hard-fought 
battle,  of  three  hours,  the  English  became  masters  of  the  place, 
and  set  fire  to  the  wigwams.  In  the  conflagration,  many  Indian 
women  and  children  perished.  The  surviving  Indian  men  fled 
into  a  cedar  swamp,  at  a  small  distance ;  and  the  English  re- 
tired to  their  quarters.  Of  the  English,  there  were  killed  and 
wounded  about  two  hundred  and  thirty.  Of  the  Indians,  one 
thousand  were  supposed  to  have  perished. 

On  the  10th  of  February,  1676,  several  hundreds  of  the 
Indians  fell  upon  Lancaster ;  plundered  and  burned  the  greatest 
part  of  the  town ;  and  killed  or  captured  forty  persons.  Two 
or  three  hundred  of  the  Narraganset,  and  other  Indians,  not 
long  afterwards,  surprised  Medfield,  and  burned  nearly  one 
half  of  the  town.  On  the  25th  of  February,  the  Indians  assaulted 
Weymouth,  and  burned  seven  or  eight  houses  and  barns.  On 
the  13th  of  March,  they  burned  the  whole  town  of  Groton, 
excepting  four  garrisoned  houses ;  and  on  the  17th,  they  entirely 


;^  i 


M 


42 


KING  PHILIPS  WAR. 


burned  Warwick,  with  the  exception  of  one  house.  On  the 
26th  of  March,  they  laid  most  of  the  town  of  Marlborough  in 
ashes.  On  the  same  day.  Captain  Pierce,  of  Scituate,  who  had 
been  sent  out  by  the> governor  and  council  of  Plymotvlh  colony, 
with  about  fifty  white  men,  and  twenty  friendly  Indians,  of  Cape 
Cod,  was  cut  off  by  the  enemy,  with  most  of  his  party.  Two 
days  afterwards,  the  Indians  fell  upon  Rehoboth,  and  burned 
forty  dwelling-houses,  and  about  thirty  bams;  and  the  day  after, 
about  thirty  houses  in  Providence. 

Early  in  April,  they  did  much  mischief  at  Chelmsford,  An- 
dover,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  those  places.  Having,  on  the  17th 
of  the  same  month,  burned  the  few  deserted  houses,  at  Marl- 
borough, they,  immediately  afterwards,  violently  attacked  Sud- 
bury, burned  several  houses  and  barns,  and  killed  ten  or  twelve 
of  the  English,  who  had  come  from  Concord,  to  the  assistance 
of  their  neighbours.  Captain  Wadsworth,  who  had  been  sent 
at  this  juncture  from  Boston,  with  about  fifty  men,  to  relieve 
Marlborough,  learning  that  the  enemy  had  gone  through  the 
woods,  towards  Sudbury,-  turned  immediately  back,  in  pursuit 
of  them.  When  the  troops  were  within  a  mile  of  the  town, 
they  spied,  at  no  great  distance,  a  party  of  Indians,  apparently 
alx)ut  one  hundred,  who,  by  retreating,  as  if  through  fear,  drew 
the  English  above  a  mile  into  the  woods ;  when  a  large  body  of 
the  enemy,  supposed  to  be  about  five  hundred,  suddenly  sur- 
rounded them,  and  precluded  the  possibility  of  their  escape. 
The  gallant  leader  and  his  brave  soldiers  fought  with  desperate 
valour;  but  were  completely  defeated.  The  few,  who  were 
taken  alive,  were  destined  to  tortures  unknown  to  their  com- 
panions, who  had  the  happier  lot  to  die  in  the  field  of  battle. 

About  the  same  time,  the  Indians  burned  nineteen  houses  and 
barns,  at  Scituate ;  but  they  were  bravely  encountered,  and  re- 
pulsed by  the  inhabitants.  On  the  8th  of  May,  they  burned 
and  destroyed  seventeen  houses  and  five  barns ;  and,  two  days 
afterwards,  they  burned  seven  houses  and  two  bams,  in  that 
town,  and  the  remaining  houses  in  Namasket. 

Several  large  bodies  of  Indians  having  assembled  on  Connec- 
ticut river,  in  the  vicinity  of  Deerfield,  the  inhabitants  of  Hadley, 
Hatfield,  and  Northampton,  combined  to  attack  them.  One 
hundred  and  sixty  men  marched  silently  twenty  miles,  in  tho 


KING  PHILLP'S  "WAR. 


[3 


the 


■-*?  • 


dead  of  night,  and,  a  little  before  the  break  of  day,  surprised 
the  Indians,  whom  they  found  asleep,  and  without  guards. 
The  first  notice  that  they  gave  of  their  approach  was,  by  a 
discharge  of  their  guns  into  the  wigwams.  Some  of  the  Indians, 
in  their  consternation,  ran  directly  into  the  river  and  were 
drowned.  Others  betook  themselves  to  their  bark  canoes,  and, 
having  in  their  hurry  forg6tten  their  paddles,  were  hurried 
down  the  falls,  and  dashed  against  the  rocks.  Many  of  them, 
endeavouring  to  secrete  themselves  under  the  banks  of  the 
river,  were  discovered  and  slain.  In  this  action,  distinguished 
by  the  name  of  the  Fall  Fight,  the  Indians  lost  three  hundred 
men,  women,  and  children  ;  but  recovering  from  their  surprise, 
and  attacking  the  rear  of  the  English  on  their  return,  they 
killed  Captain  Turner,  commander  of  the  expedition,  and  thii  ty- 
eight  of  his  men. 

On  the  30th  of  May,  a  great  body  of  Indians,  supposed  to  be 
six  or  seven  hundred,  appeared  before  Hatfield.  Having  burned 
twelve  houses  and  barns  without  the  fortification,  they  attacked 
the  houses  in  the  centre  of  the  town,  that  were  surrounded 
with  palisadoes ;  but  twenty-five  resolute  young  men  of  Hadley 
adventuring  over  the  river,  and  boldly  charging  the  Indians, 
they  instantly  fled  from  the  town,  with  the  loss  of  twenty-five 
of  their  men. 

Though  Massachusetts  was  the  chief  theatre  of  the  war, 
Connecticut,  her  sister  colony,  was  active  in  the  suppression  of 
the  common  enemy.  Volunteer  companies  had  been  formed, 
early  in  the  year,  principally  from  New  London,  Norwich,  and 
Stonington,  which  associated  with  them  a  number  of  the  Mo- 
hegan,  Pequod,  and  Narraganset  tribes.  These  companies 
ranged  the  Narraganset  country,  and  harassed  the  hostile  Indi- 
ans. Between  the  spring  and  the  succeeding  autumn,  the  volun- 
teer captains,  with  their  flying  parties,  made  ten  or  twelve  ex- 
peditionfe,  in  which  they  killed  and  captured  two  hundred  and 
thirty  of  the  enemy,  took  fifty  muskets,  and  brought  in  one 
hundred  and  sixty  bushels  of  their  corn.  They  drove  all  the 
Narraganset  Indians,  excepting  those  of  Ninnigret,  out  of  their 
country. 

The  Assembly  of  Connecticut  raised  three  hundred  and  fift}' 
men,  who  were  to  be  a  standing  army,  to  defend  the  country. 


1 1 


1    •<■ 


i    '■> 


:^^ 


TCI 

'    1 


u 


ii 


KING  PHILIPS  WAR. 


and  harass  the  enemy.  Major  John  Talcot  was  appointed  to 
the  chief  com'aand.  Early  in  June,  he  marched  from  Norwich, 
with  two  hundred  and  fifty  soldiers,  and  two  hundred  Mohegan 
and  Pequod  Indians,  into  the  Wabaquasset  country  j  but  found 
it  entirely  deserted.  On  the  5th  of  June,  the  army  under  his 
command  marched  to  Chanagongum,  in  the  Nipmuck  country, 
where  they  killed  nineteen  Indians,  and  took  thirty-three  pri- 
soners ;  and  thence  marched  by  Quabaog  to  Northampton.  On 
the  12th  of  June,  four  days  after  their  arrival  at  Northampton, 
about  seven  hundred  Indians  made  a  furious  attack  upon  Had- 
ley ;  but  Major  Talcot,  with  his  gallant  soldiers,  soon  appeared 
for  the  relief  of  the  garrison,  and  drove  off  the  enemy. 

On  the  3d  of  July,  the  same  troops,  on  their  march  towards 
Narraganset,  surprised  the  main  body  of  the  enemy,  by  the 
side  of  a  large  cedar  swamp,  and  attacked  them  so  suddenly, 
that  a  considerable  number  of  them  were  killed  and  taken  on 
the  spot.  Others  escaped  to  the  swamp,  and  were  immediately 
surrounded  by  the  English,  who,  after  an  action  of  two  or  three 
hours,  killed  and  took  one  hundred  and  seventy  of  the  enemy. 
Shortly  afterwards,  they  killed  and  captured  sixty-seven,  near 
Providence  and  Warwick.  About  the  5th  of  July,  they  returned 
to  Connecticut,  and,  on  their  way,  took  sixty  prisoners. 

The  enemy,  thus  pursued,  and  hunted  from  one  lurking  place 
to  another,  btraitened  for  provisions,  and  debilitated  by  hunger 
and  disease^  became  divided,  scattered,  and  disheartened.  In 
July  and  August,  they  began  to  come  in,  and  to  surrender 
themselves  to  the  mercy  of  their  conquerors.  Philip,  who  had 
fled  to  the  Mohawks,  having  provoked  that  warlike  nation,  had 
been  obliged  to  abandon  their  country,  and  was  now,  with  a 
large  body  of  Indians,  lurking  about  Mount  Hope.  The  Mas- 
sachusetts and  Plymouth  soldiers  were  vigilant  and  intrepid,  in 
pursuit  of  him ;  and,  on  the  2d  of  August,  Captain  Church, 
with  about  thirty  English  soldiers,  and  twenty  friendly  Indians, 
surprised  him  in  his  quarters ;  killed  about  one  hundred  and 
thirty  of  his  men ;  and  took  his  wife  and  son  prisoners :  but 
Philip  escaped. 

About  ten  days  after  this  surprise,  an  Indian  deserter  brought 
information  to  Captain  Church,  that  Philip  was  at  Mount  Hope 
Neck,  and  ofiered  to  guide  him  to  the  place,  and  help  to  kill 


DEATH  OF  KINO  PHILIP. 


(46) 


KING  PHILIPS  WAR. 


47 


him.  Church  instantly  set  out,  in  pursuit  of  him,  with  a  small 
company  of  English  and  Indians.  On  his  arrival  at  the  swamp, 
he  made  a  disposition  of  his  men,  at  proper  stations,  so  as  to 
form  an  ambuscade,  putting  an  Englishman  and  an  Indian  to- 
gether, behind  coverts.  These  commenced  a  fire  on  the  enemy's 
shelter,  which  was  on  the  margin  of  the  swamp.  It  was  open, 
in  tlie  Indian  manner,  on  the  side  next  to  the  swamp,  to  favour 
a  sudden  flight.  Philip,  at  the  instant  of  the  fire  from  the 
English,  seizing  his  gun,  fled  towards  the  thickets ;  but  ran  in 
a  direction  towards  an  English  soldier  and  an  Indian,  who 
were  at  the  station  assigned  them  by  Captain  Church.  The 
Englishman  snapped  his  gun ;  but  it  missed  fire.  He  then  bade 
the  Indian  fire ;  and  he  instantly  shot  him  dead. 

The  death  of  Philip  was  the  signal  of  complete  victory.  The 
Indians,  in  all  the  neighbouring  country,  now  generally  sub- 
mitted to  the  English,  or  fled,  and  incorporated  themselves  with 
distant  and  strange  nations.  In  this  short  but  tremendous  war, 
about  six  hundred  of  the  inhabitants  of  New  England  were 
either  killed  in  battle,  or  murdered  by  the  Indians.  Twelve  or 
thirteen  towns  were  entirely  destroyed,  and  about  six  hundred 
buildings,  chiefly  dwelling-houses,  were  burnt.  In  addition  to 
these  calamities,  the  colonies  contracted  an  enormous  debt, 
while,  by  the  loss  of  their  substance,  from  the  ravages  of  the 
enemy,  their  resources  were  essentially  diminished. 

The  fall  of  Philip  was  then  considered  as  the  extinction  of 
a  virulent  and  implacable  enemy.  It  is  now  viewed  as  the  fall 
of  a  great  warrior  and  a  penetrating  statesman.  It  then  excited 
universal  joy  and  congratulation,  as  a  prelude  to  the  close  of  a 
merciless  war.  It  now  awakens  sober  reflections,  on  the  insta- 
bility of  empire,  the  peculiar  destiny  of  the  aboriginal  race,  and 
the  inscrutable  decrees  of  Heaven.  The  patriotism  of  the  man 
was  then  overlooked,  in  the  cruelty  of  the  savage ;  and  little 
allowance  was  made  for  the  natural  jealousy  of  the  sovereign, 
on  account  of  the  barbarities  of  the  warrior.  Philip,  in  the 
progress  of  the  English  settlements,  foresaw  the  loss  of  his  ter- 
ritory, and  the  extinction  of  his  tribe ;  and  made  one  mighty 
effort  to  prevent  these  calamities.  He  fell ;  and  his  fall  con- 
tributed to  the  rise  of  the  United  States.  Joy  for  this  event 
should  be  blended  with  regret  for  his  misfortunes,  and  respect 
for  his  patriotism  and  talents. 


CHAPTER  V. 


THE    TUSCARORA    AND   TEMASSEE    V^ARS. 


HE  settlers  of  the  Carolinas 
and  Georgia  were  exposed  to 
the  hostility  of  powerful  tribes 
of  Indians,  who  were  not 
quieted  without  much  diffi- 
culty and  great  loss  of  life. 
In  the  year  1712,  after  Gover- 
nor Craven  had  assumed  the 
management  of  the  colony  of  the  Carolinas,  a  dangerous  conspi- 
racy was  formed  by  the  Indians  of  North  Carolina  against  the 
poor  settlers  in  that  quarter.  The  cause  of  the  quarrel  we  have 
not  been  able  clearly  to  find  out ;  probably  they  were  ofiended  at 
the  encroachments  made  on  their  hunting  lands.  The  power- 
ful tribe  of  Indians  called  Tuscaroras,  and  several  more,  united, 
and  determined  to  murder  or  expel  the  European  invaders. 
As  usual,  they  carried  on  their  bloody  design  with  amazing 
cunning  and  profound  secrecy.  Their  chief  town  they  had,  in 
the  first  place,  surrounded  with  a  wooden  breast-work,  for  the 
security  of  their  own  families.     Here  the  difierent  tribes  met 

(48) 


THE  TUSOARORA   AND  TEMASSEE  WARS. 


49 


i 


together  to  the  number  of  1200  bowmen,  and  formed  their 
horrid  plot.  From  this  place  of  rendezvous  they  sent  out  smalJ 
parties,  who  entered  the  settlements,  under  the  mask  of  friend- 
ship, by  different  roads.  At  the  change  of  the  full  moon  all 
of  them  had  agreed  to  begin  their  murderous  operations,  on 
the  same  night.  When  that  night  came,  they  entered  the 
planters'  houses,  demanded  provisions,  and  murdered  men,  wo- 
men, and  children,  without  mercy  or  distinction.  To  prevent 
the  alarm  spreading  through  the  settlement,  they  ran  from 
house  to  house,  sending  slaughter  among  the  scattered  fami- 
lies wherever  they  went.  None  of  the  colonists,  during  the 
fatal  night,  knew  what  had  befallen  their  neighbours,  until 
the  barbarians  had  reached  their  own  doors.  About  Roanoke 
137  settlers  fell  a  sacrifice  to  their  savage  fury  the  first  night ; 
among  whom  were  a  Swiss  baron,  and  almost  all  the  poor  Pa- 
latines who  had  lately  come  into  the  country.  Some,  however, 
who  had  hid  themselves  in  ihe  woods,  having  escaped,  next 
morning  gave  the  alarm  to  their  neighbours,  and  prevented  the 
total  destruction  of  that  colony.  Every  family  had  orders 
speedily  to  assemble  at  one  place,  and  the  militia,  under  arms, 
kept  watch  day  and  night  around  them,  until  the  news  of  the 
sad  disaster  reached  the  province  of  South  Carolina. 

Happy  was  it  for  the  distressed  North  Carolinians  that  Gov- 
ernor Craven  lost  no  time  in  collecting  and  despatching  a  force 
to  their  assistance  and  relief.  The  Assembly  voted  4000/.  for 
the  service  of  the  war.  A  body  of  militia,  consisting  of  600 
men,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Barnwell,  marched  against 
the  savages.  Two  hundred  and  eighteen  Cherokees,  under  the 
command  of  Captains  Harford  and  Turstons ;  79  Creeks,  under 
Captain  Hastings ;  41  Catabaws,  under  Captain  Cantey ;  and 
28  Yemassees,  under  Captain  Pierce,  being  furnished  with  arms, 
joined  the  Carolinians  in  this  expedition.  The  way  was  dread- 
ful, at  this  time,  in  the  wilderness  through  which  Colonel  Bam- 
well  had  to  march.  It  was  not  possible  for  his  men  to  carry  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  provisions,  together  with  arms  and  am- 
munition, along  with  them,  or  to  have  these  things  provided 
at  different  stages  by  the  way.  There  was  no  road  through 
the  woods  upon  which  either  horses  or  carriages  could  conve- 
niently pass ;  and  his  little  army  had  every  kind  of  hardship 


'  w 

n 


50      THE  TUSCARORA  AND  TEMASSEE  WARS. 

and  danger  to  encounter.     In  rpite  of  every  difficulty,  Bam- 
well,  however,  advanced  against  them,  employing  his  Indian 
allies  to  hunt  provisions  for  his  men  by  the  way.     At  length, 
having  come  up  with  the  savages,  he  attacked  them,  and  being 
much  better  supplied  with   arms  and   ammunition  than   his 
enemy,  he  did  great  execution  among  them.     In  the  first  battle 
he  killed  300  Indians,  and  took  about  100  prisoners.     After 
which  the  Tuscaroras  retreated  to  their  town,  within  a  wooden 
breast-work;   there  Barnwell   surrounded  them,  and   having 
killed  a  considerable  number,  forced  the  remainder  to  sue  for 
peace :  some  of  his  men  being  wounded,  and  others  having 
suffered  much  by  constant  watching,  and  much  hunger  and 
fatigue,  the  savages  the  more  easily  obtained  their  request.    In 
this  expedition  it  was  computed  that  Barnwell  killed,  wounded, 
and  captured  near  1000  Tuscarorao.     The    remainder,  who 
escaped,  soon  after  this  heavy  chastisement,  abandoned  their 
country,  and  joined  a  northern  tribe  of  Indians  on  the  Ohio 
river.     Of  Barnwell's  party  five  Carolinians  were  killed,  and 
several  wounded :  of  h?8  Indians,  36  were  killed,  and  between 
60  and  70  wounded.     In  justice  to  this  officer  it  must  be  owned, 
never  had  any  expedition  against  the  savages  in  Carolina  been 
attended  with  such  hazards  and  difficulties,  nor  had  the  con- 
quest of  any  tribe  of  them  ever  been  more  general  and  complete. 
In  the  year  1715,  another  Indian  confederacy  threatened  to 
exterminate   the  colonists  of  Carolina.     The  numerous  and 
powerful  tribe  of  Indians  called  Yemassees,  probably  at  the  in- 
stigation of  the  Spaniards  at  Augustine,  were  the  most  active 
in  promoting  this  conspiracy  against  the  settlement,  though 
every  tribe  around  was  more  or  less  concerned  in  it.     The  Ye- 
massees possessed  a  large  territory  Ijang  backward  from  Port- 
royal  island,  on  the  north-east  side  of  Savannah  river,  which  is 
called  Indian  Land.     By  the  Carolinians  this  tribe  had  long 
been  esteemed  as  friends  and  allies,  who  had  admitted  a  number 
of  traders  into  their  towns,  and  several  times  assisted  the 
settlers  in  their  warlike  enterprises.     Of  all  other  Indians  they 
were  believed  to  harbour  in  their  minds  the  most  irreconcilable 
enmity  to  Spaniards.     For  many  years  they  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  make  incursions  into  the  Spanish  territories,  and  to 
wage  war  with  the  Indians  within  their  bounds.     In  their  return 


the 


THE  TUSCARORA  AND  TEMASSEE  WARS. 


51 


frum  these  southern  expeditions,  it  had  been  a  common  practice 
with  them  to  lurk  in  the  woods  round  Augustine,  until  they 
surprised  some  Spanish  prisoners,  on  whom  they  exercised  the 
most  wanton  barbarities;  sometimes  cutting  them  to  pieces 
slowly,  joint  by  joint,  with  knives  and  tomahawks ;  at  other 
times  buryiufj,  them  up  to  the  neck  under  ground,  then  standing 
at  a  distance,  and  marking  at  their  heads  with  their  pointed 
arrows ;  and,  at  other  times,  binding  them  to  a  tree,  and 
piercing  the  tenderest  parts  of  their  bodies  with  sharp-pointed 
sticks  of  burning  wood,  which  last,  because  the  most  painful 
and  excruciating  method  of  torture,  was  the  most  common 
among  them. 

To  prevent  such  barbarities,  the  legislature  of  Carolina  passed 
a  law,  offering  a  reward  of  61.  for  every  Spanish  prisoner  these 
Indians  should  bring  alive  to  Charleston ;  which  law,  though  it 
evidently  proceeded  from  motives  of  humanity,  yet,  in  the  event, 
it  proved  very  inconsistent  with  good  policy :  for,  in  consequence 
of  this  act,  the  Yemassees  brought  several  Spaniards,  at  differ- 
ent times,  to  Charleston,  where  they  claimed  the  reward  for 
their  prisoners,  and  delivered  them  up  to  the  governor.  Charles 
Craven,  who  was  no  less  distinguished  for  humanity  than  valour, 
used  to  send  back  such  prisoners  to  Augustine,  charging  the 
Spanish  government  with  the  expenses  of  their  passage,  and 
the  reward  to  the  Yemassees. 

For  twelve  months  before  the  war  broke  out,  the  traders 
among  the  Yemassees  observed  that  their  chief  warriors  went 
frequently  to  Augustine,  and  returned  loaded  with  presents ; 
but  were  not  apprehensive  of  any  ill  consequence  from  such 
generosity,  John  Fraser,  an  honest  Scotch  Highlander,  who 
lived  among  the  Yemassees  and  traded  with  them,  had  often 
heard  these  warriors  tell  with  what  kindness  they  had  been 
treated  at  Augustine.  One  had  received  a  hat,  another  a  jacket, 
and  a  third  a  coat,  all  trimmed  with  silver  lace.  Some  got  hat- 
chets, others  great  knives,  and  almost  all  of  them  guns  and 
ammunition,  to  prepare  them  for  striking  some  great  and  im- 
portant blow.  These  warriors  told  Fraser,  that  they  had  dined 
with  the  governor  at  Augustine,  and  washed  his  'ace  (a  cere- 
mony used  by  Indians  as  a  token  of  friendship),  and  that  now 
the  Spanish  governor  -^vas  their  king,  and  not  the  governor  of 


Vi  If. 


52 


THE   TUSCARORA  AND  YEMASSEE  WARS. 


ii'l: 


Carolina.  Still,  however,  the  Carolinians  remained  secure,  and, 
having  such  confidence  in  the  Indians,  dreaded  no  ill  conse- 
quences from  this  new  intercourse.  They  knew  the  antipathy 
of  the  Yemassees  to  the  Spaniards,  and  their  fondness  for  pre- 
sents, but  suspected  no  plot  against  the  settlement  by  their 
allies. 

While  the  time  drew  nigh  in  M-^hich  this  plot  was  to  1)0  put 
in  execution,  Captain  Nairn,  agent  for  Indians  affairs,  and  many 
traders,  resided  at  Pocotaligo,  the  largest  town  belonging  to  the 
Yemaseos.  Fraser,  probably  either  discrediting  what  he  had 
heard,  or  from  the  hurry  and  confusion  which  the  alarm  occa- 
sioned, unfortunately  had  not  taken  time  to  communicate  the 
intelligence  he  had  received  to  his  friends,  who  remained  in  a 
state  of  false  security  in  the  midst  of  their  enemies.  The  case  of 
the  scattered  settlers  on  the  frontiers  was  equolly  lamentable, 
who  were  living  under  no  suspicions  of  danger.  However,  on  the 
day  before  the  Yemassees  began  their  bloody  operations,  Captain 
Nairn  and  some  of  the  traders  observing  an  unusual  gloom  on 
their  savage  countenances,  and  apparently  great  agitations  of 
spirit,  which  to  them  prognosticated  approaching  mischief,  went 
to  their  chief  men,  begging  to  know  the  cause  of  their  uneasiness, 
and  promising,  if  any  injury  had  been  done  them,  to  give  them 
satisfaction.  The  chiefs  replied,  they  had  no  complaints  to  make 
against  any  one,  but  intended  to  go  hunting,  early  the  next 
morning.  Captain  Nairn  accordingly  went  to  sleep,  and  the 
traders  retired  to  their  huts,  and  passed  the  night  in  seeming 
friendship  and  tranquillity.  But  next  morning,  about  the  break 
of  day,  being  the  15th  day  x:f  April,  1715,  all  were  alarmed 
with  the  cries  of  war.  The  leaders  were  all  out  under  arms, 
calling  upon  their  followers,  and  proclaiming  aloud  designs  of 
vengeance.  The  young  men  flew  to  their  arms,  and,  in  a  few 
hours,  massacred  above  90  persons  in  Pocotaligo  town  and  the 
neighbouring  plantations ;  and  many  more  must  have  fallen  a 
sacrifice  on  Port-royal  Island,  had  they  not  been  warned  of  their 
danger.  Mr.  Burrows,  a  captain  of  the  militia,  after  receiving 
two  wounds,  by  swimming  one  mile  and  running  ten,  escaped 
to  Port-royal  and  alarmed  the  town.  A  vessel  happening 
fortunately  to  be  in  the  harbour,  the  inhabitants  in  great  hurry 
repaired  on  board,  and  sailed  for  Charleston ;  only  a  few  families 


THE  TUSCARORA   AND  VEMASSI.K  WARS. 


63 


of  pliintcrs  on  that  island,  not  Imvln;!;  tiiiuly  notice,  fell  into 
their  hands,  some  of  whom  tlioy  niurdrivd,  Jind  othiTH  tiiey 
made  prisonorH  of  war. 

While  the  Yemassees,  with  whom  the  Creeks  and  Apallncliians 
had  joined,  were  advancing  against  the  southern  frontiers,  and 
epreading  desolation  and  slaughter  through  the  province ;  the 
Indians  on  the  northern  borders  also  came  down  among  the 
eettlements  in  fonnidable  parties.  The  Carolinians  had  foolishly 
entertained  hopes  of  iIa?  friendship  of  the  Congarees,  the  Co- 
tawbas,  and  Cherokees  ;  but  they  soon  found  that  they  had  also 
joined  in  the  conspiracy,  and  declared  for  war.  It  was  com- 
puted that  the  southern  division  of  the  enemy  consisted  of 
above  GOOO  bowmen,  and  the  northern  of  between  000  and 
1000.  Indeed  every  Indian  trilie,  from  Florida  to  Cape  Fear 
river,  had  joined  in  this  confederacy  for  the  destruction  of  the 
settlement.  The  planters  scattered  here  and  there  had  no  time 
to  gather  together  in  a  body,  sufficiently  strong  to  withstand 
Buch  numbers ;  but  each  consulting  his  safety,  in  great  hurry 
and  consternation  fled  to  tlie  capital.  Every  one  who  came  in 
brought  the  governor  different  accounts  of  the  number  and 
strength  of  the  savages,  insomuch  that  even  the  inhabitants  of 
Charleston  were  doubtful  of  their  safety,  and  entertained  the 
most  discouraging  apprehensions  of  their  inability  to  repel  a 
force  so  great  and  formidable.  In  the  muster-roll  there  were 
no  more  than  1200  men  fit  to  bear  anus,  but  as  the  town  had 
several  forts  into  which  the  inhabitants  might  retreat,  the  go- 
vernor, with  this  small  force,  resolved  to  march  into  the  woods 
against  the  enemy.  He  proclaimed  martial  law,  and  laid  an 
embargo  on  all  ships,  to  prevent  either  men  or  provisions  from 
leaving  the  country.  He  obtained  an  act  of  Assembly,  em- 
powering him  to  impress  men,  and  seize  arms,  ammunition,  and 
stores,  wherever  they  were  to  be  found,  to  arm  such  trusty 
negroes  as  niight  be  serviceable  at  a  juncture  so  critical,  and  to 
pro'jecute  the  war  with  the  utmost  vigour.  Agents  were  sent 
to  Virginia  and  England  to  solicit  assistance ;  bills  were  stamped 
for  the  payment  of  the  army,  and  other  necessary  expenses ; 
Robert  Daniel  was  appointed  deputy-governor  in  town,  and 
Charles  Craven,  at  the  head  of  the  militia,  marched  to  the 
country  against  the  largest  body  of  savages. 
7  E 


III! 


54 


THE  TUSCARORA  AND  TEMASSEE  WARS. 


In  the  mean  time,  the  Indians  on  the  northern  quarter  had 
made  an  inroad  as  far  as  a  plantation  belonging  to  John  Heame, 
about  50  miles  from  town,  and  entered  his  house  in  a  seemingly 
peaceable  aid  friendly  manner;  but  afterwards  pretending  to 
be  displeased  with  the  provisions  given  them,  murdered  him 
and  every  person  in  it.  Thomas  Barker,  a  captain  of  militia, 
having  intelligence  of  the  approach  of  these  Indians,  collected 
a  party,  consisting  of  90  horsemen,  and  advanced  against  them; 
but  by  the  treachery  of  an  Indian,  whom  he  unluckily  trusted, 
he  was  led  into  a  dangerous  ambuscade  in  a  thicket,  where  a 
large  party  of  Indians  lay  concealed  on  the  ground.  Barker 
having  advanced  into  the  middle  of  them  before  he  was  aware 
of  his  danger,  the  Indians  sprung  from  their  concealments,  and 
fired  upon  his  men  on  every  side.  The  captain  and  several 
more  fell  at  the  first  onset,  and  the  remainder  in  confusion  were 
obliged  to  retreat.  After  this  advantage,  a  party  of  400  Indians 
came  down  as  far  as  Goose  Creek.  Every  family  there  had 
fled  to  town,  except  in  one  place,  where  70  white  men  and  40 
negroes  had  surrounded  themselves  with  a  breast-work,  and  re- 
solved to  remain  and  defend  themselves  in  the  best  manner 
they  could.  When  the  Indians  attacked  them  they  were  dis- 
couraged, and  rashly  agreed  to  terms  of  peace ;  and,  having  ad- 
mitted the  enemy  within  their  works,  this  poor  garrison  were 
barbarously  butchered :  after  which  the  Indians  advanced  still 
nigher  to  town ;  but  at  length  meeting  with  Captain  Chicken 
and  the  whole  Goose  Creek  militia,  they  were  repulsed,  and 
obhged  to  retreat  into  the  wilderness. 

By  this  time  the  Yemassees,  with  their  confederates,  had 
spread  destruction  through  the  parish  of  St.  Bartholomew,  and 
advancing  downwards  as  far  as  Stono,  they  bunied  the  church 
at  that  place,  together  with  every  house  on  the  plantations  by 
the  way.  John  Cochran,  his  wife,  and  four  children ;  Mr.  Bray, 
his  wife,  and  two  children ;  and  six  more  men  and  women, 
having  found  some  friends  among  them,  were  spared  for  some 
days;  bub,  while  attempting  to  make  their  escape  from  them, 
they  were  retaken  and  put  to  death.  Such  as  had  no  friends 
among  them  were  tortured  in  the  most  shocking  manner,  the 
Indians  seeming  to  neglect  their  progress  towards  conquest  on 
purpose  to  assist  in  tormenting  their  enemies.     We  forbear  to 


. 


THE  TUSCARORA  AND  TEMASSEE  WARS. 


55 


mention  the  various  tortures  inflicted  on  such  as  fell  into  their 
merciless  fangs :  none  can  be  pleased  with  the  relation  of  such 
horrid  cruelties,  but  the  man  who,  with  a  smile  of  satisfaction, 
can  be  the  spectator  of  a  Spanish  auto  de  fe,  or  such  savage 
hearts  as  are  steeled  against  every  emotion  of  humanity  and 
compassion. 

By  this  time  Governor  Craven,  being  no  stranger  to  the  fero- 
cious temper  of  his  enemies,  and  their  horrid  cruelty  to  prisoners, 
was  advancing  against  them  by  slow  and  cautious  steps,  always 
keeping  the  strictest  guard  round  his  army.  He  knew  well 
under  what  advantages  they  fought  among  their  native  thickets, 
and  the  various  wiles  and  stratagems  they  made  use  of  in  con- 
ducting their  wars ;  and  therefore  was  watchful  above  all  things 
against  sudden  surprises,  which  might  throw  his  followers  into 
disorder,  and  defeat  the  end  of  his  enterprise.  The  fate  of 
the  whole  province  depended  on  the  success  of  his  arms, 
and  his  men  had  no  other  alternative  left  but  to  conquer 
or  die  a  painful  death.  As  he  advanced  the  straggling  parties 
fled  before  him,  until  he  reached  Saltcatchers,  where  they  had 
pitched  their  great  camp.  Here  a  sharp  and  bloody  battle  en- 
sued from  behind  trees  and  bushes,  the  Indians  hooping,  halloo- 
ing, and  giving  way  one  while,  and  then  again  and  again  return- 
ing with  double  fury  to  the  charge.  But  the  governor,  notwith- 
standing their  superior  number,  drove  them  before  him  Uke  a 
flock  of  wolves.  He  expelled  them  from  their  settlement  at 
Indian-land,  pursued  them  over  Savannah  river,  and  rid  the 
province  entirely  of  this  formidable  tribe  of  savages.  What 
number  of  his  army  he  lost,  or  of  the  enemy  he  killed,  we  have 
not  been  able  particularly  to  learn ;  but  in  this  Indian  war 
near  400  innocent  inhabitants  of  Carolina  were  murdered  by 
these  wild  barbarians. 


4 


KINS    WILLIAM    III. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


KING   WILLIAM'S   WAB. 


fm  HE  contest  usually  called  King 
William's  War  was  the  result  of 
various  causes,  but  sprung  chiefly 
from  the  base  treatment  of  the 
Baron  de  St.  Castine  by  Sir 
Edmund  Andross.  The  lands 
from  Penobscot  to  Nova  Scotia 
had  been  ceded  to  the  French,  by 
the  treaty  of  Breda,  in  exchange  for  the  island  of  St. 
Christopher.  On  these  lands  the  Baron  de  St.  Castine  had  for 
many  years  resided,  and  carried  on  a  large  trade  with  the 
Indians,  with  whom  he  was  intimately  connected;  having 
several  of  their  women,  beside  a  daughter  of  the  sachem  Mado- 
kawando,  for  his  wives.  The  lands  which  had  been  granted  by 
the  crown  of  England  to  the  Duke  of  York  (at  that  time  King 
James  the  Second)  interfered  with  Castine's  plantation,  as  the 

(66) 


I 


KING  WILLIAMS  WAR. 


57 


duke  claimed  to  the  river  St.  Croix.  A  fort  had  been  built  by 
his  order  at  Pemaquid,  and  a  garrison  stationed  there  to  prevent 
any  intrusion  on  his  property.  In  1686,  a  ship,  belonging  to 
Pascataqua  landed  some  wines  at  Penobscot,  supposing  it  to  be 
within  the  French  territory.  Palmer  and  West,  the  duke's 
agents  at  Pemaquid,  went  and  seized  the  wines ;  but  by  the 
influence  of  the  French  ambassador  in  England,  an  order  was 
obtained  for  the  restoration  of  them.  Hereupon  a  new  line  was 
run,  which  took  Castine's  plantation  into  the  duke's  territory. 
In  the  spring  of  1688,  Andross  went  in  the  Rose  frigate,  and 
plundered  Castine's  house  and  fort,  leaving  only  the  ornaments 
of  his  chapel  to  console  him  for  the  loss  of  his  arms  and  goods. 
This  base  action  provoked  Castine  to  excite  the  Indians  to  a 
new  war,  pretences  for  which  were  not  wanting  on  their  part. 
They  complained  that  the  tribute  of  corn  which  had  been 
promised  by  the  treaty  of  1678  had  been  Tvithheld;  that  the 
fishery  of  the  river  Saco  had  been  obstructed  by  seines ;  that 
their  standing  corn  hrtJ  been  devoured  by  cattle  belonging  to 
the  English;  that  the"  ■ '  l^  at  Pemaquid  had  been  patented 
without  their  consent;  u' *  Jiat  they  had  been  fraudulently 
dealt  with  in  trade.  Some  of  these  complaints  were  doubtless 
well  grounded ;  but  none  of  them  were  ever  inquired  into  or 
redressed. 

They  began  to  make  reprisals  at  North  Yarmouth  by  killing 
cattle.  Justice  Blackman  ordered  sixteen  of  them  to  be  seized 
and  kept  under  guard  at  Falmouth;  but  others  continued  to 
rob  and  capture  the  inhabitants.  Andross,  who  pretended  to 
treat  the  Indians  with  mildness,  commanded  those  whom  Black- 
man  had  seized  to  be  set  at  liberty.  But  this  mildness  had 
not  the  desired  effect ;  the  Indians  kept  their  prisoners,  and 
murdered  some  of  them  in  their  barbarous  sports.  Andross 
then  changed  his  measures,  and  thought  to  frighten  them  with 
an  army  of  700  men,  which  he  led  into  their  country  in  the 
month  of  November.  The  rigour  of  the  season  proved  fatal  to 
some  of  his  men ;  but  he  never  saw  an  Indian  in  his  whole 
march.     The  enemy  were  quiet  during  the  winter. 

After  the  revolution  in  England,  the  gentlemen  who 
assumed  the  government  strove  to  prevent  the  renewal  of 
hostilities.     They  sent  messengers  and  presents  to  several 

e2 


I 


G8 


KING  WILLIAMS  WAR. 


tribes  of  Indians,  who  answered  them  with  fair  promises ;  but 
their  prejudice  against  the  English  was  too  inveterate  to  be 
allayed  by  such  means  as  these.    (1689.) 

Thirteen  years  had  almost  elapsed  since  the  seizure  of  the 
400  Indians,  at  Cochecho,  by  Major  Waldron ;  during  all  which 
time  an  inextinguishable  thirst  of  revenge  had  been  cherished 
among  them,  which  never  till  now  found  opportunity  for  grati- 
fication. Wonolanset,  one  of  the  sachems  of  Penacook,  who 
was  dismissed  with  his  people  at  the  time  of  the  seizure,  always 
observed  his  father's  dying  charge,  not  to  quarrel  with  the 
English ;  but  Hagkins,  another  sachem,  who  had  been  treated 
with  neglect  by  Cranfield,  was  more  ready  to  listen  to  the 
seducing  invitations  of  Castine's  emissaries.  Some  of  those 
Indians,  who  were  then  seized  and  sold  into  slavery  abroad, 
had  found  their  way  home,  and  could  not  rest  till  they  had 
their  revenge.  Accordingly  a  confederacy  being  formed  between 
the  tribes  of  Penacook  and  Pigwacket,  and  the  strange  Indiana 
(as  they  were  called)  who  were  incorporated  with  them,  it  was 
determined  to  surprise  the  major  and  his  neighbours,  among 
whom  they  had  all  this  time  been  peaceably  conversant. 

In  that  part  of  the  town  of  Dover  which  lies  about  the  first 
falls  in  the  river  Cochecho,  were  five  garrisoned  houses;  three 
on  the  north  side,  called  respectively,  Waldron,  Otis,  and 
Heard ;  and  two  on  the  south  side,  Peter  Cofiin's  and  his  son's. 
These  houses  were  surrounded  with  timber  walls,  the  gates  of 
which,  as  well  as  the  house  doors,  were  secured  with  bolts  and 
bars.  The  neighbouring  families  retired  to  these  houses  by 
night ;  but  by  an  unaccountable  negligence,  no  watch  was  kept. 
The  Indians,  who  were  daily  passing  through  the  town,  visiting 
and  trading  with  the  inhabitants,  as  usual  in  time  of  peace, 
viewed  their  situation  with  an  attentive  eye.  Some  hints  of  a 
mischievous  design  had  been  given  out  by  their  squaws ;  but  in 
such  dark  and  ambiguous  terms,  that  no  one  could  comprehend 
their  meaning.  Some  of  the  people  were  uneasy ;  but  Waldron, 
who,  from  a  long  course  of  experience,  was  intimately  acquainted 
with  the  Indians,  and  on  other  occasions  had  been  ready  enough 
to  suspect  them,  was  now  so  thoroughly  secure,  that  when  some 
of  the  people  hinted  their  fears  to  him,  he  merely  bad  them  to 
go  and  plant  their  pumpkins,  saying  that  he  would  tell  them 


KING  William's  war. 


59 


Iron, 
Inted 
)ugh 
pome 
to 
Ihem 


when  the  Indians  would  break  out.  The  very  evening  before 
the  mischief  was  done,  being  told  by  a  young  man  that  the 
town  was  full  of  Indians,  and  the  people  were  much  concerned ; 
he  answered  that  he  knew  the  Indians  very  well,  and  there 
was  no  danger. 

The  plan  which  the  Indians  had  preconcerted  was,  that  two 
Bquaws  should  go  to  eich  of  the  garrisoned  houses  in  the 
evening,  and  ask  leave  t^  lodge  by  the  fire ;  that  in  the  night 
when  the  people  were  asleep  they  should  open  the  doors  and 
gates,  and  give  the  signal  by  a  whistle,  upon  which  the  strange 
Indians,  who  were  to  be  within  hearing,  should  rush  in,  and 
take  their  long-meditated  revenge.  This  plan  being  ripe  for 
execution,  on  the  evening  of  Thursday  the  27th  of  June,  two 
squaws  applied  to  each  of  the  garrisons  for  lodging,  as  they 
frequently  did  in  time  of  peace.  They  were  admitted  into  all 
but  the  younger  Coffin's,  and  the  people,  at  their  request, 
showed  them  how  to  open  the  doors,  in  case  they  should  have 
occasion  to  go  out  in  the  night.  Mesandowit,  one  of  their 
chiefs,  went  to  Waldron's  garrison,  and  was  kindly  entertained, 
as  he  had  often  been  before.  The  squaws  told  the  major,  that 
a  number  of  Indians  were  coming  to  trade  with  him  the  next 
day,  and  Mesandowit,  while  at  supper,  with  his  usual  familiarity, 
said,  "Brother  Waldron,  what  would  you  do  if  the  strange 
Indians  should  come?"  The  major  carelessly  answered,  that 
he  could  assemble  100  men,  by  lifting  up  his  finger.  In  this 
unsuspected  confidence  the  family  retired  to  rest. 

When  all  was  quiet,  the  gates  were  opened  and  the  signal 
given.  The  Indians  entered,  set  a  guard  at  the  door,  and 
rushed  into  the  major's  apartment,  which  was  an  inner  room. 
Awakened  by  the  noise,  he  jumped  out  of  bed,  and  though  now 
advanced  in  life  to  the  age  of  eighty  years,  he  retained  so  much 
vigour  as  to  drive  them  with  his  sword  through  two  or  three 
doors,  but  as  he  was  returning  for  his  other  arms,  they  came 
behind  him,  stunned  him  with  a  hatchet,  and  drew  him  into 
his  hall,  where  they  mutilated  and  killed  him.  They  also  killed 
his  son-in-law,  Abraham  Lee ;  but  took  his  daughter,  Lee,  with 
several  others,  and  having  pillaged  the  house,  left  it  on  fire. 
Otis's  garrison,  which  was  next  to  the  major's,  met  with  the 
same  fate ;  he  was  killed,  with  several  others,  and  his  wife  and 


I 


60 


KING  William's  war. 


,»1 


child  were  captured.  Heard's  was  saved  by  the  barking  of  a 
iog  just  as  the  Indians  were  entering :  Elder  Wentworth,  who 
was  awakened  by  the  noise,  pushed  them  out,  and  falling  on 
his  back,  set  his  feet  against  the  gate  and  held  it  till  he  had 
alarmed  the  people ;  two  balls  were  fired  through  it,  but  both 
missed  him.  Coffin's  house  was  surprised,  but  as  the  Indians 
had  no  particular  enmity  to  him,  they  spared  his  life,  and  the 
lives  of  his  family,  and  contented  themselves  with  pillaging 
the  house.  Finding  a  bag  of  money,  they  made  him  throw  it 
by  handfuls  on  the  floor,  while  they  amused  themselves  in 
scrambling  for  it.  They  then  went  to  the  house  of  his  son,  who 
would  not  admit  the  squaws  in  the  evening,  and  summoned  him 
to  surrender,  promising  him  quarter :  he  declined  their  oflfer, 
and  determined  to  defend  his  house,  till  they  brought  out  his 
father  aad  threatened  to  kill  him  before  his  eyes ;  filial  affection 
then  overcame  his  resolution,  and  he  surrendered.  They  put 
both  families  together  into  a  deserted  house,  intending  to  reserve 
them  for  prisoners ;  but  while  the  Indians  were  busy  in  plunder- 
ing, they  all  escaped.  Twenty-three  people  were  killed  in  this 
surprisal,  and  twenty-nine  were  captured;  five  or  six  houses 
with  the  mills  were  burned ;  and  so  expeditious  were  the  Indi- 
ans in  the  execution  of  their  plot,  that  before  the  people  could 
be  collected  from  the  other  parts  of  the  town  to  oppose  them, 
they  fled  with  their  prisoners  and  booty.  As  they  passed  by 
Heard's  garrison  in  their  retreat,  they  fired  upon  it,  but  the 
people  being  prepared  and  resolved  to  defend  it,  and  the  enemy 
being  in  haste,  it  was  preserved. 

The  same  day,  after  the  mischief  was  done,  a  letter  from 
Secretary  Addington,  written  by  order  of  the  government, 
directed  to  Major  Waldron,  giving  him  notice  of  the  intention 
of  the  Indians  to  surprise  him  under  pretence  of  trade,  fell  into 
the  hands  of  his  son.  This  design  was  communicated  to  Go- 
vernor Bradstreet  by  Major  Henchman,  of  Chelmsford,  who  had 
learned  it  of  the  Indians.  The  letter  was  despatched  from 
Boston,  the  day  before,  by  Mr.  Weare ;  but  some  delay  which 
he  met  with  at  Newbury  ferry,  prevented  its  arrival  in  season. 
The  prisoners  taken  at  this  time  were  mostly  carried  to  Canada, 
and  sold  to  the  French ;  and  these,  so  far  as  can  be  learned, 
were  the  first  that  ever  were  carried  thither. 


pa 
to 


I    I 


KING  WILLIAMS  WAR. 


61 


la, 


The  necessity  of  vigorous  measures  was  now  so  pressing,  that 
parties  were  immediately  despatched,  one  under  Captain  Noyes, 
to  Penacook,  where  they  destroyed  the  com,  but  the  Indians 
escaped;  another  from  Pascataqua,  under  Captain  Wincal,  to 
Winnipiseogee,  whither  the  Indians  had  retired,  as  John  Church, 
who  had  been  taken  at  Cochecho,  and  escaped  from  them,  re- 
ported :  one  or  two  Indians  were  killed  there,  and  their  com 
cut  down.  But  these  excursions  proved  of  small  service,  as 
the  Indians  had  little  to  lose,  and  could  find  a  home  wherever 
they  could  find  game  and  fish. 

.  In  the  month  of  August,  Major  Swaine,  with  seven  or  eight 
companies  raised  by  the  Massachusetts  government,  marched  to 
the  eastward ;  and  Major  Church,  with  another  party,  consist- 
ing of  English  and  Indians,  from  the  Colony  of  Plymouth, '  oon 
followed  them.  While  these  forces  wer^  on  their  march,  the 
Indians,  who  lay  in  the  woods  about  Oyster  river,  observed  how 
many  men  belonged  to  Hucking's  garrison ;  and  seeing  them 
all  go  out  one  morning  to  work,  nimbly  ran  between  them  and 
the  house,  and  killed  them  all,  being  in  number  eighteen,  ex- 
cept one  who  had  passed  the  brook.  They  then  attacked  the 
house,  in  which  were  only  two  boys,  one  of  whom  was  lame, 
with  some  women  and  children.  The  boys  kept  them  off  for 
some  time,  and  wounded  several  of  them.  At  length  the  In- 
dians set  the  house  on  fire,  and  even  then  the  boys  would  not 
surrender  till  they  had  promised  them  to  spare  their  lives. 
They  perfidiously  murdered  three  or  four  of  the  children ;  one 
of  them  was  set  on  a  sharp  stake,  in  the  view  of  its  distressed 
mother,  who,  with  the  other  women  and  the  boys,  were  carried 
captive.  One  of  the  boys  escaped  the  next  day.  Captain 
Garner,  with  his  company,  pursued  the  enemy,  but  did  not 
come  up  with  them. 

The  Massachusetts  and  Plymouth  companies  proceeded  to 
the  eastward,  settled  garriso^a  in  convenient  places,  and  had 
some  skirmishes  with  the  enemy  at  Casco  and  Blue  Point.  On 
their  return.  Major  Swaine  sent  a  party  of  the  Indian  auxili- 
aries under  Lieutenant  Flagg  toward  Winnipiseogee  to  make 
discoveries.  These  Indians  held  a  consultation  in  their  own 
language;  and  having  persuaded  their  lieutenant,  with  two 
men,  to  return,  nineteen  of  them  tarried  out  eleven  days  longer; 
8 


■w 


m 


I 


62 


KINO  WILLIAMS  WAR. 


in  which  time  they  found  the  enemy,  stayed  with  them  two 
nights,  and  informed  them  of  everything  which  they  desired 
to  know;  upon  which  the  enemy  retired  to  their  inaccessible 
deserts,  and  the  forces  returned  witliout  finding  them,  and  in 
November  were  disbanded. 

Nothing  was  more  welcome  to  the  distressed  inhabitants  of 
the  frontiers  than  the  approach  of  winter,  as  they  then  expected 
a  respite  from  their  suflferings.  The  deep  snows  and  cold  weather 
were  commonly  a  good  security  against  an  attack  from  the 
Indians ;  but  when  resolutely  set  on  mischief,  and  instigated 
by  popish  enthusiasm,  no  obstacles  could  prevent  the  execution 
of  their  purposes. 

(1690.)  The  Count  of  Fiontenac,  now  governor  of  Canada, 
was  fond  of  distinguishing  himself  by  enterprises  against  the 
American  subjects  of  King  William,  with  whom  his  master  was 
at  war  in  Europe.  For  this  purpose  he  detached  three  patties 
of  French  and  Indians  from  Canada  in  the  winter,  who  were  to 
take  three  different  routes  into  the  English  territories.  Ono 
of  these  parties  marched  from  Montreal,  and  destroyed  Schenec- 
tada,  a  Dutch  village,  on  the  Mohawk  river,  in  the  province  of 
New  York.  This  action,  which  happened  at  an  unusual  time 
of  the  year,  in  the  month  of  February,  alarmed  the  whole 
country.  On  the  18th  day  of  March,  another  party,  which 
came  from  Trois  Rivieres,  under  the  command  of  the  Sieup 
Hertel,  an  officer  of  great  repute  in  Canada,  found  their  way  to 
Salmon  Falls,  a  settlement  on  the  river  which  divides  New 
Hampshire  from  the  province  of  Maine.  This  party  consisted 
of  fifty-two  men,  of  whom  twenty-five  were  Indians  under 
Hoophood,  a  noted  warrior.  They  began  the  attack  at  day- 
break, in  three  different  places.  The  people  were  surprised ; 
but  flew  to  arms,  and  defended  themselves  in  the  garrisoned 
houses,  with  a  bravery  which  the  enemy  themselves  applauded. 
But  as,  in  all  such  onsets,  the  assailants  have  the  greatest  ad- 
vantage, so  they  here  proved  too  strong  for  the  defendants; 
about  thirty  of  the  bravest  were  killed,  and  the  rest  sur- 
rendered at  discretion,  to  the  number  of  fifty-four,  of  whom  the 
greater  part  were  women  and  children.  After  plundering,  the 
enemy  burned  the  houses,  mills,  and  barns,  with  the  cattle, 
which  were  within  doors,  and  then  retreated  into  the  woods, 


KINO    WILLIAMS  WAR. 


es 


whither  they  were  pursued  by  about  one  hundred  and  forty 
men,  suddenly  collected  from  "^he  neighbouring  towns,  who 
came  up  with  them  in  the  afternoon,  at  a  narrow  bridge  oc 
Wooster's  river.  Hertel,  expecting  a  pursuit,  had  posted  his 
men  advantageously  on  the  opposite  bank.  The  pursuers  ad- 
vanced with  great  intrepidity,  and  a  warm  engagement  ensued, 
which  lasted  till  night,  when  they  retired  with  the  loss  of  four 
or  five  killed ;  the  enemy,  by  their  own  account,  lost  two,  one 
of  whom  was  Hertel's  nephew ;  his  son  was  wounded  in  the 
knee;  another  Frenchman  was  taken  prisoner,  who  was  so 
tenderly  treated  that  he  embraced  the  protestant  faith  and  re- 
mained in  the  country.  Hertel,  on  his  way  homeward,  met 
with  a  third  party  who  had  marched  from  Quebec,  and  joining 
his  company  to  them,  attacked  and  destroyed  the  fort  and  settle- 
ment at  Casco,  the  next  May.  Thus  the  three  expeditions 
planned  by  Count  Frontenac  proved  successful ;  but  the  glory 
of  them  was  much  tarnished  by  acts  of  cruelty,  which  Christians 
should  be  ashamed  to  countenance,  though  perpetrated  by 
savages. 

After  the  destruction  of  Casco  the  eastern  settlements  were 
all  deserted,  and  the  people  retired  to  the  fort  of  Wells.  The 
Indians  then  came  up  westward,  and  a  party  of  them  nnder 
Hoophood  some  time  in  May  made  an  assault  on  Fox  Point,  in 
Newington,  where  they  burned  several  houses,  killed  about  four, 
teen  people,  and  carried  away  six.  They  were  pursued  by  the  Cap. 
tains  Floyd  and  Greenleaf,  who  came  up  with  them  and  recovered 
some  of  the  captives  and  spoil,  after  a  skirmish  in  which  Hoop- 
hood  was  wounded  and  lost  his  gun.  This  fellow  was  soon 
after  killed  by  a  party  of  Canada  Indians,  who  mistook  him  for 
one  of  the  Iroquois,  with  whom  they  were  at  war.  On  the  4th 
day  of  July,  eight  persons  were  killed  as  they  were  mowing  in 
a  field  near  Lamprey  river,  and  a  lad  was  captured.  The  next 
day  they  attacked  Captain  Hilton's  garrison  at  Exeter,  which 
was  relieved  by  Lieutenant  Bancroft  with  the  loss  of  a 
few  of  his  men;  one  of  them,  Simon  Stone,  received  nine 
wounds  with  shot,  and  two  strokes  of  a  hatchet;  when  his 
friends  came  to  bury  him,  they  perceived  life  in  him,  and  by 
the  application  of  cordials  he  revive  J,  to  the  amazement  oi 
all. 


64 


KINO  WILLIAMS  WAR. 


; 


Two  companies  under  the  Captains  Floyd  and  Wiswal  were 
now  scouting,  and  on  the  6th  day  of  July  discovered  an  Indian 
track,  which  they  pursued  till  they  cunie  up  with  the  enemy  at 
Wheelwright's  Pond  (in  Lee),  where  a  bloody  engagement  en- 
sued for  some  hours,  in  which  Wiswal,  his  lieutenant,  Flagg, 
and  Sei'i^eant  Walker,  with  twelve  more,  were  killed,  and  se- 
veral wounded.  It  was  not  known  how  many  of  the  enemy 
fell,  as  they  always  carried  off  their  dead.  Floyd  maintained 
the  light  after  Wiswal's  death,  till  his  men,  fatigued  and  wounded, 
drew  off,  which  obliged  him  to  follow.  The  enemy  retreated 
at  the  same  time ;  for  when  Captain  Convers  went  to  look  after 
the  wounded,  he  found  seven  alive,  whom  he  brought  in  by 
sunrise  the  next  morning,  and  then  returned  to  bury  the  dead. 
The  enemy  then  went  westward,  and  in  the  course  of  one  week 
killed,  between  Lamprey  river  and  Almsbury,  not  less  than 
forty  people.       i- 

The  cruelties  exercised  upon  the  captives  in  this  war  ex- 
ceeded, both  in  ijumber  and  degree,  any  in  former  times.  The 
most  healthy  and  vigorous  of  them  were  sold  in  Canada,  the 
weaker  were  sacrificed  and  scalped ;  and  for  every  scolp  they 
had  a  premium.  Two  instances  only  are  remembered  of  their 
releasing  any  without  a  ransom  :  one  was  a  woman  tat  en  from 
Fox  Point,  who  obtained  her  liberty  by  procuring  them  some 
of  the  necessaries  of  life ;  the  other  was  at  York,  where,  after 
they  hod  taken  many  of  the  people,  they  restored  two  aged 
women  and  five  children,  in  return  for  a  generous  action  of 
Major  Church,  who  had  spared  the  lives  of  as  many  women 
and  children  when  they  fell  into  his  hands  at  Amariscoggin. 

The  people  of  New  England  now  looked  on  Canada  as  the 
source  of  their  troubles,  and  formed  a  design  to  reduce  it  to 
subjection  to  the  crown  of  England.  The  enterprise  was  bold 
and  hazardous ;  but  had  their  ability  been  equal  to  the  ardour 
of  their  patriotism,  it  might  probably  have  been  accomplished. 
Straining  every  nerve,  they  equipped  an  armament  in  some 
degree  equal  to  the  service.  What  was  wanting  in  military 
and  naval  discipline,  was  made  up  in  resolution ;  and  the  com- 
mand was  given  to  Sir  William  Phipps,  an  honest  man,  and  a 
friend  to  his  country,  but  by  no  means  qualified  for  such  an 
enterprise.     Unavoidable  accidents  retarded  the  expedition,  so 


(65) 


I' 


KINO  WILLIAMS  WAR. 


67 


that  the  fleet  did  not  arrive  before  Quebec  till  October,  when  it 
was  more  than  time  to  return.  It  l)cing  impossible  to  continue 
there  to  any  purpose,  and  the  tro<3p8  growing  sickly  and  dis- 
couraged, after  some  ineffectual  parade,  they  abandoned  the 
enterprise. 

This  disappointment  was  severely  felt.  The  equipment  of 
the  fleet  and  army  required  a  supply  of  money  which  could  not 
readily  be  collected,  and  occasioned  a  paper  currency,  which 
has  often  been  drawn  into  precedent  on  like  occasions,  and  has 
proved  a  fatal  source  of  the  most  complicated  and  extensive 
mischief.  The  people  were  almost  dispirited  with  the  prospect 
of  poverty  and  ruin.  In  this  melancholy  state  of  the  country, 
it  was  a  happy  circumstance  that  the  Indians  voluntarily  came 
in  with  a  flag  of  truce,  and  desired  a  cessation  of  hostilities. 
(1691.)  A  conference  being  held  at  Sagadahock,  they  brought 
in  ten  captives,  and  settled  a  truce  till  the  Ist  day  of  May, 
which  they  observed  till  the  9  th  of  June,  when  they  attacked 
Storer's  garrison,  at  Wells,  but  were  bravely  repulsed.  About 
the  same  time  they  killed  two  men  at  Exeter,  and  on  the  29th 
of  September,  a  party  of  them  came  from  the  eastward  in 
canoes  to  Sandy  Beach,  Rye,  where  they  killed  and  captured 
twenty-one  persons.  Captain  Sherburne,  of  Portsmouth,  a 
worthy  officer,  was  this  year  killed  at  Macquoit. 

The  next  winter,  1692,  the  country  being  alarmed  with  the 
destruction  of  York,  some  new  regulations  were  made  for  the 
general  defence.  Major  Elisha  Hutchinson  was  appoinied  com- 
mander in  chief  of  the  militia,  by  whose  prudent  conduct  the 
frontiers  were  well  guardefl,  and  so  constant  a  communication 
was  kept  up,  by  ranging  parties,  from  one  post  to  another,  that 
it  became  impossible  for  the  enemy  to  attack  in  their  usual  wa., 
by  surprise.  The  good  effect  of  this  regulation  was  presently 
seen.  A  young  man  being  in  the  woods  near  Cochecho,  was 
fired  at  by  some  Indians.  Lieutenant  Wilson  immedi.itely 
went  out  with  eighteen  men ;  and  finding  the  Indian",  \il\ed  oi 
wounded  the  whole  party  excepting  one.  This  struck  them 
with  terror,  and  kept  them  quiet  the  remainder  of  the  winter 
and  spring.  But  on  the  10th  day  of  June,  an  army  of  French 
and  Indians  made  a  furious  attack  on  Storer's  garrison  at  Wells, 
where  Captain  Convers  commanded;  who  after  a  brave  and 


Jf 


68 


KING  WILLIAMS  WAR. 


resolute  defence,  was  so  happy  as  to  drive  them  oflf  with  great 
loss. 

^  Sir  William  Phipps,  being  now  governor  of  Massachusetts, 
continued  the  same  method  of  defence,  keeping  out  continual 
scouts  under  brave  and  experienced  officers.  This  kept  the  In- 
dians so  quiet,  that  except  one  poor  family  which  they  took  at 
Oyster  river,  and  some  small  mischief  at  Quaboag,  there  is  no 
mention  of  any  destruction  made  by  them  during  the  year 
1693.  Their  animosity  against  New  England  was  not  quelled; 
but  they  needed  time  to  recruit ;  some  of  their  principal  men 
were  in  captivity,  and  they  could  not  hope  to  redeem  them 
without  a  peace.  To  obtain  it,  they  came  into  the  Fort  at 
Pemaquid ;  and  there  entered  into  a  solemn  covenant,  wherein 
they  acknowledged  subjection  to  the  crown  of  England ;  engaged 
to  abandon  the  French  interest  j  promised  perpetual  peace ;  to 
forbear  private  revenge ;  to  restore  all  captives,  and  even  went 
so  far  as  to  deliver  hostages  for  the  due  performance  of  theii 
engagements.  This  peace,  or  rather  truce,  gave  both  sides  a 
respite,  which  both  earnestly  desired. 

The  people  of  New  Hampshire  were  much  reduced,  their 
lumber  trade  and  husbandry  being  greatly  impeded  by  the  war. 
Frequent  complaints  were  made  of  the  burden  of  the  war,  the 
scarcity  of  provisions,  and  the  dispiritedness  of  the  people. 
Once,  it  is  said,  in  the  council  minutes,  that  they  were  even  ready 
to  quit  the  province.  The  governor  was  obliged  to  impress  men 
to  guard  the  outposts :  they  were  sometimes  dismissed  for  want 
of  provisions,  and  then  the  garrison  officers  called  to  account 
and  severely  punished :  yet  all  this  time  the  public  debt  did  not 
exceed  400/.  In  this  situation  they  were  obliged  to  apply  to 
their  neighbours  for  assistance ;  but  this  was  granted  with  a 
sparing  hand.  The  people  of  Massachusetts  were  much  divided 
and  at  variance  among  themselves,  both  on  account  of  the  new 
charter  which  they  had  received  from  King  William*  and  the 
pretended  witchcrafts  which  have  made  so  loud  a  noise  in  the 
worH. 

(1694.)  The  engagements  made  by  the  Indians  in  the  treaty 
of  Pemaquid,  might  have  been  performed  if  they  had  been  left 
to  their  own  choice.  But  the  French  missionaries  had  been  for 
Home  years  very  assiduous  in  propagating  their  ter  etr  among 


KING  WILLIAMS  WAR. 


R9 


them,  one  of  which  was,  "  that  to  break  faith  with  heretics  was 
no  sin."  The  Sieur  de  Villieu,  who  had  distinguished  himself 
in  the  defence  of  Quebec  when  Phipps  was  before  it,  and  had 
contracted  a  strong  antipathy  to  the  New  Englanders,  being  now 
in  command  of  Penobscot,  he,  with  M.  Thury,  the  missionary, 
diverted  Madokawando  and  the  other  sachems  from  complying 
with  their  engagements ;  so  that  pretences  were  found  for  de- 
taining the  English  captives,  who  were  more  in  number,  and 
of  more  consequence,  than  the  hostages  whom  the  Indians  had 
given.  Influenced  by  the  same  pernicious  councils,  they  kept 
a  watchful  eye  on  the  frontier  towns,  to  see  what  place  was 
most  secure  and  might  be  attacked  to  the  greatest  advantage. 
The  settlement  at  Oyster  river,  within  the  town  of  Dover,  was 
pitched  upon  as  the  most  likely  place ;  and  it  is  said  that  the 
design  of  surprising  it  was  publicly  talked  of  at  Quebec  two 
months  before  it  was  put  in  execution.  Rumours  of  Indians 
lurking  in  the  woods  thereabout,  made  some  of  the  people  ap- 
prehend danger ;  but  no  mischief  being  attempted,  they  ima- 
gined them  to  be  hunting  parties,  and  returned  to  their  security. 
At  length,  the  necessary  preparations  being  made,  Villieu,  with 
a  body  of  250  Indians,  collected  from  the  tribes  of  St.  John, 
Penobscot,  and  Norridgwog,  attended  by  a  French  priest, 
marched  for  the  devoted  place. 

Oyster  river  is  a  stream  wl^ch  runs  into  the  western  branch 
of  Pascataqua ;  the  settlements  were  on  both  sides  of  it,  and 
the  houses  chiefly  near  the  water.  Here  were  twelve  garrisoned 
houses,  sufficient  for  the  defence  of  the  inhabitants;  but  appre- 
hending no  danger,  some  families  remained  at  their  own  un- 
fortified houses,  and  those  who  were  in  the  garrisons  were  but 
indifferently  provided  for  defence,  some  being  even  destitute  of 
powder.  The  enemy  approached  the  place  undiscovered,  and 
halted  near  the  falls  on  Tuesday  evening,  the  17th  of  July, 
{ere  they  formed  into  two  divisions,  one  of  which  was  to  go  on 
each  side  of  the  river  and  plant  themselves  in  ambush,  in  small 
parties,  near  every  house,  so  as  to  be  ready  for  the  attack  at 
the  rising  of  the  sun,  the  first  gun  to  be  the  signal.  John 
Dean,  whose  house  stood  by  the  saw-mill  at  the  falls,  intending 
to  go  from  home  very  early,  arose  before  the  dawn  of  day,  and 
was  shot  as  he  came  out  of  his  door.  This  disconcerted  their 
9  p2 


ro 


KING  William's  war. 


plaii :  several  parties  who  had  some  distance  to  go,  had  not 
then  arrived  at  their  stations :  ihe  people  in  general  were  im- 
mediately alarmed:  some  of  them  had  time  to  make  their 
escape,  and  others  to  prepare  for  their  defence.  The  signal 
being  given,  the  attack  began  in  all  parts  where  the  enemy 
was  ready. 

Of  the  twelve  garrisoned  houses  five  were  destroyed,  viz. 
Adams's,  Drew's,  Edgerly's,  Medar's,  and  Beard's.  They 
entered  Adams's  without  resistance,  where  they  killed  fourteen 
persons.  The  grave  is  still  to  be  seen  in  which  they  were  all 
buried.  Drew  surrendered  his  garrison  on  the  promise  of  se- 
curity, but  was  murdered  when  he  fell  into  their  hands ;  one 
of  his  children,  a  boy  of  nine  years  old,  was  made  to  run  through 
a  lane  of  Indians  as  a  mark  for  them  to  throw  their  hatchet  at, 
till  they  had  despatched  him.  Edgerly's  was  evacuated ;  the 
people  took  to  their  boat,  and  one  of  them  was  mortally 
wounded  before  they  got  out  of  reach  of  the  enemy's  shot. 
Beard's  and  Medar's  were  also  evacuated,  and  the  people 
escaped.  The  defenceless  houses  were  nearly  all  set  on  fire, 
the  inhabitants  being  either  killed  or  taken  in  them,  or  else  in 
endeavouring  to  fly  to  the  garrisons.  Some  escaped  by  hiding 
in  the  bushes  and  other  secret  places. 

The  other  seven  garrisons,  viz.  Burnham's,  Bickford's, 
Smith's,  Bunker's,  Davids's,  Jones's,  and  Woodman's,  were  re- 
solutely and  successfully  defended.  At  Burnham's  the  gate 
was  left  open :  the  Indians,  ten  in  number,  who  were  appointed 
to  surprise  it,  were  asleep  under  the  bank  of  the  river,  at  the 
time  that  the  alarm  was  given.  A  man  within,  who  had  been 
kept  awake  by  the  toothache,  hearing  the  first  gun,  roused  the 
people  and  secured  the  gate,  just  as  the  Indians  who  were 
awakened  by  the  same  noise  were  entering.  Finding  them- 
selves disappointed,  they  ran  to  Pitman'  defenceless  house, 
and  forced  the  door  at  the  moment  that  he  had  burst  a  wav 
ihrough  that  end  of  the  house  which  was  next  to  the  garrison, 
to  which  he  and  his  family,  taking  advantage  of  the  shade  of 
?ome  trees,  it  being  moonlight,  happily  escaped.  Still  defeated, 
they  attacked  the  house  of  John  Davis,  which  after  some 
resistance  he  surrendered  on  terms ;  but  the  terms  w^ere  violated, 
(uid  the  whole  family  either  killed  or  made  captives.     Thomas 


Bickforc 
situated 
alarmed 
his  fami 
alone  to 


Bir 
lal 


KING  WILLIAMS  WAH. 


ri 


Bickford  preserved  his  house  in  a  singular  manner.  It  was 
situated  near  the  river,  and  surrounded  with  a  palisade.  Being 
alarmed  before  the  enemy  had  reached  the  house,  he  sent  off 
his  family  in  a  boat,  and  then  shutting  his  gate,  be'ook  himself 
alone  to  the  defence  of  his  fortress.  Despising  alike  the  pro- 
mises and  threats  by  which  the  Indians  would  have  persuaded 
him  to  surrender,  he  kept  up  a  constant  fire  at  them,  changing 
his  dress  as  often  as  he  could,  showing  himself  with  a  different 
cap,  hat,  or  coat,  and  sometimes  without  either,  and  giving  di- 
rections aloud  as  if  he  had  a  number  of  men  with  him.  Fmding 
their  attempt  vain,  the  enemy  withdrew,  and  left  him  sole 
master  of  the  house  which  he  had  defended  with  such  admir- 
able address. 

Those  parties  of  the  enemy  who  were  on  the  south  side  of 
the  river,  having  completed  their  destructive  work,  collected  in 
a  field  adjoining  Burnham's  garrison,  where  they  insultingly 
showed  their  prisoners,  and  derided  the  people,  thinking  them- 
selves out  of  reach  of  their  shot.  A  young  man  from  the 
sentry-box  fired  at  one  who  was  making  some  indecent  signs  of 
defiance,  and  wounded  him  in  the  heel.  Both  divisions  then 
met  at  the  Falls,  where  they  had  parted  the  evening  before,  and 
proceeded  together  to  Captain  Woodman's  garrison.  The 
ground  being  uneven,  they  approached  without  danger,  and 
from  behind  a  hill  kept  up  a  long  and  severe  fire  at  the  hats 
and  caps  which  the  people  within  held  up  on  sticks  above  the 
walls,  without  any  other  damage  than  galling  the  roof  of  the 
house.  At  length,  apprehending  that  it  was  time  for  the  people 
in  the  neighbouring  settlements  to  be  collected  in  pursuit  of 
them,  they  finally  withdrew ;  having  killed  and  captured  be- 
tween ninety  and  a  hundred  persons,  and  burned  about  twenty 
houses,  of  which  five  were  garrisons.  The  main  body  of  them 
retreated  over  Winnipiseogee  lake,  where  they  divided  their 
prisoners,  separating  those  in  particular  who  were  most  inti- 
mately connected,  in  which  they  often  took  a  pleasure  suited 
to  their  savage  nature. 

About  forty  of  the  enemy,  under  Toxus,  a  Norridgwog  chiel, 
resolving  on  farther  mischief,  went  westward  and  did  execution 
as  far  as  Gr*^  m.  A  smaller  party  having  crossed  the  river 
Pascataqua,  f^i  ae  to  a  farm  where  Ursula  Cutts,  widow  of  the 


ii. 


deceased  president,  resided,  who,  imagining  the  enemy  had  done 
what  mischief  they  intended  for  that  time,  could  not  be  per- 
suaded to  remove  into  town  till  her  haymaking  should  be 
finished.  As  she  was  in  the  field  with  her  labourers,  the  enemy 
fired  from  an  ambush  and  killed  her,  with  three  others.  Colonel 
Richard  Waldron  and  his  wife  with  her  infant  son  (afterward 
secretary),  had  almost  shared  the  same  fate;  they  were  taking 
boat  to  go  and  dine  with  this  lady,  when  they  were  stopped  by 
the  arrival  of  some  friends  at  their  house ;  while  at  dinner  they 
were  informed  of  her  death.  She  lived  about  two  miles  above 
the  town  of  Portsmouth,  and  had  laid  out  her  farm  with  much 
elegance.  The  scalps  taken  in  this  whole  expedition  were 
carried  to  Canada  by  Madokawando,  and  presented  to  Count 
Frontenac,  from  whom  he  received  the  reward  of  his  treache- 
rous adventure*. 

There  is  no  mention  of  any  more  mischief  by  the  Indians 
within  this  province  till  the  next  year,  1695,  when,  in  the 
month  of  July,  two  men  were  killed  at  Exeter.  The  following 
year,  1696,  on  the  7th  of  May,  John  Church,  who  had  been 
taken  and  escaped  from  them  sevn  years  before,  was  killed  and 
scalped  at  Cochecho,  near  his  own  house.  On  the  26th  of  June, 
an  attack  was  made  at  Portsmouth  plains,  about  two  miles  from 
the  town.  The  enemy  came  from  York-nubble  to  Sandy-beach 
in  canoes,  which  they  hid  there  among  the  bushes  near  the 
shore.  Some  suspicion  was  formed  the  day  before  by  reason 
of  the  cattle  running  out  of  the  woods  at  Little-harbour ;  but 
false  alarms  were  frequent,  and  this  was  not  much  regarded. 
Early  in  the  morning  the  attack  was  made  at  five  houses  at 
once ;  fourteen  persons  were  killed  on  the  spot,  one  was  scalped 
and  left  for  dead,  but  recovered,  and  four  were  taken.  The 
enemy  having  plundered  the  houses  of  what  they  could  carry, 
set  them  on  fire,  and  made  a  precipitate  retreat  through  the 
great  swamp.  A  company  of  militia  under  Captain  Shackford 
and  Lieutenant  Libbey  pursued,  and  discovered  them  cooking 
their  breakfast,  at  a  place  ever  since  called  Breakfast>hill.  The 
Indians  were  on  the  farther  side,  having  placed  their  captives 
between  themselves  and  the  top  of  the  hill,  that  in  case  of  an 
attack  they  might  first  receive  the  fire.  The  lieutenant  urged 
to  go  round  the  hill,  and  come  upon  them  below  to  cut  ofi*  their 


ret 


pai 
to 


KING   WILLIAMS  WAR. 


73 


retreat;  but  the  captain,  fearing  in  that  case,  that  thoy  would, 
according  to  their  custom,  kill  the  prisoners,  rushed  upon  them 
from  the  top  of  the  hill,  by  which  means  they  retook  the 
captives  and  plunder,  but  the  Indians  rolling  down  the  hill 
escaped  into  the  swamp  and  got  to  their  canoes.  Another 
party,  under  another  commander,  was  then  sent  out  in  shallops 
to  intercept  them  as  they  should  cross  over  to  the  eastward  by 
night.  The  captain  ranged  his  boats  in  a  line,  and  ordered  his 
mtni  to  reserve  their  fire  till  he  gave  the  watchword.  It  Ijeing 
a  calm  night,  the  Indians  were  heard  as  they  advanced ;  but 
the  captain,  unhappily  giving  the  word  before  they  had  come 
within  gun-shot,  they  tacked  about  to  the  southward,  and  going 
round  the  Isles  of  Shoals,  by  the  favour  of  their  light  canoes 
escaped.  The  watchword  was  Crambo,  winch  the  captain  ever 
after  bore  as  an  appendage  to  his  title.  On  the  26th  day  of 
July,  the  people  of  Dover  were  waylaid  as  they  were  returning 
from  public  worship,  when  three  were  killed,  three  wounded, 
and  three  carried  to  Penobscot,  from  whence  they  soon  found 
their  way  home. 

The  next  year,  1697,  on  the  10th  of  June,  the  town  of 
Exeter  was  remarkably  preserved  from  destruction.  A  body 
of  the  enemy  had  placed  themselves  near  the  town,  intending 
to  make  an  assault  in  the  morning  of  the  next  day.  A  number 
of  women  and  children,  contrary  to  the  advice  of  their  friends, 
went  into  the  fields,  without  a  guard,  to  gather  strawberries. 
When  they  were  gone,  some  persons,  to  frighten  them,  fired  an 
alarm ;  which  quickly  spread  through  the  town,  and  brought 
the  people  together  in  arms.  The  Indians,  supposing  tliat  they 
were  discovered,  and  quickened  by  fear,  after  killing  one, 
wounding  another,  and  taking  a  child,  made  a  hasty  retreat, 
and  were  seen  no  more  there.  But  on  the  4  th  day  of  July  they 
waylaid  and  killed  the  worthy  Major  Frost  at  Kittery. 

The  same  year  an  invasion  of  the  country  was  projected  by 
the  French.  A  fleet  was  to  sail  from  France  to  Newfoundland, 
and  thence  to  Penobscot,  where,  being  joined  by  an  army  from 
Canada,  an  attempt  was  to  be  made  on  Boston,  and  the  sea  coast 
ravaged  from  thence  to  Pascataqua.  The  plan  was  too  extensive 
and  complicated  to  be  executed  in  one  summer.  The  lieet 
came  no  further  than  Newfoundland  j  when  the  advanced  sea- 


71 


KING  WILLIAM'S  WAR. 


son,  and  scantiness  of  provisions,  obliged  them  to  give  over  the 
design.  The  people  of  New  England  were  apprised  of  the 
danger,  and  made  the  best  preparations  in  their  power.  They 
strengthened  their  fortifications  on  the  coast,  and  raised  a  body 
of  men  to  defend  the  frontiers  against  the  Indians,  who  were 
expected  to  co-operate  with  the  French.  Some  mischief  was 
done  by  lurking  parties  at  the  eastward ;  but  New  Hampshire 
was  unmolested  by  them  during  the  remainder  of  this  and  the 
whole  of  the  following  year. 

After  the  peace  of  Ryswick,  1698,  Count  Frontenac  informed 
the  Indians  that  he  could  not  any  longer  support  them  in  a  war 
with  the  English,  with  whom  his  nation  was  now  at  peace. 
He  therefore  advised  them  to  bury  the  hatchet,  and  restore 
their  captives.  HaVing  suffered  much  by  famine,  and  being 
divided  in  their  opinions  about  prosecuting  the  war,  after  a  long 
time  they  were  brought  to  a  treaty,  1699,  at  Casco,  where  they 
ratified  their  former  engagements ;  acknowledged  subjection  to 
the  crown  of  England ;  lamented  their  former  perfidy,  and  pro- 
mised future  peace  and  good  behaviour  in  such  terms  as  the 
commissioners  dictated,  and  with  as  much  sincerity  as  could  be 
expected.  At  the  same  time  they  restored  those  captives  who 
were  able  to  travel  from  the  places  of  their  detention  to  Casco 
in  that  unfavourable  season  of  the  year ;  giving  assurance  for 
the  return  of  the  others  in  the  spring ;  but  many  of  the  younger 
sort,  both  males  and  females,  were  detained ;  who,  mingling  with 
the  Indians,  contributed  to  a  succession  of  enemies  in  future 
wars  against  their  own  country. 


QUEEN   ANNE. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

QUEEN  ANNE'S  WAR. 

HE  peace  which  followed  the  treaty  of  Ryswick,  wai* 
but  of  short  duration,  for  the  seeds  of  war  were  readv 
sown  both  in  Europe  and  America.  Louis  had  pro- 
claimed the  pretender  king  of  England,  and  his  gov- 
ernor, Villebon,  had  orders  to  extend  his  province  of  Acadia 
to  the  river  Kennebeck,  though  the  English  court  under- 
stood St.  Croix  to  be  the  boundary  between  their  territories 
and  those  of  the  French.  The  fishery  was  interrupted  by 
French  men  of  war,  and  by  the  orders  of  Villebon,  who  suf- 
fered no  English  vessels  to  fish  on  the  banks  of  Nova  Sco- 
tia. A  French  mission  was  established,  and  a  chapel  erected 
at  Norridgewog,  on  the  upper  part  of  Kennebeck,  which  served 
to  extend  the  influence  of  the  French  among  the  Indians.  The 
governor  of  Canada,  assuming  the  character  of  their  fathei 

(75) 


76 


QUEEN  ANNE'S  WAR. 


Iff 


aiid  protector,  instigated  them  to  prevent  the  settlement  of  the 
English  to  the  east  of  Kennebeck,  and  found  some  among  them 
ready  to  listen  to  his  advice.  The  people  in  those  parts  were 
apprehensive  of  danger  and  meditating  a  removal,  and  those 
who  had  entertained  thoughts  of  settling  there  were  restrained. 

Things  were  in  this  posture  when  Dudley  entered  on  his  go- 
vernment. He  had  particular  orders  from  England  to  rebuild 
the  fort  at  Pemaquid ;  but  could  not  prevail  on  the  Massachu- 
setts Assembly  to  bear  the  expense  of  it.  However,  he  deter- 
mined on  a  visit  to  the  eastern  country,  and  having  notified  his 
intention  to  the  Indians,  took  with  him  a  number  of  gentlemen 
of  both  provinces,  1703,  and  held  a  conference  at  Casco  with  de- 
legates from  the  tribes  of  Norridgewog,  Penobscot,  Pigwacket, 
Penacook,  and  Amariscoggin,  who  assured  him  that  "  as  high 
as  the  sun  was  above  the  earth,  so  far  distant  was  their  design 
of  making  the  least  breach  of  the  peace."  They  presented  him  a 
belt  of  wampum  in  token  of  their  sincerity,  and  both  parties 
went  to  two  heaps  of  stones,  which  had  formerly  been  pitched, 
and  called  the  "  two  brothers,"  where  the  friendship  was  further 
ratified  by  the  addition  of  other  stones.  They  also  declared, 
that  although  the  French  emissaries  among  them  had  been  en- 
deavouring to  break  the  union,  yet  it  was  "  firm  as  a  mountain, 
and  should  continue  as  long  as  the  sun  and  moon."  Notwith- 
standing these  fair  appearances,  it  was  observed  that  when  the 
Indians  fired  a  salute,  their  guns  were  charged  with  shot ;  and 
it  was  suspected  that  they  had  then  formed  a  design  to  seize 
the  governor  and  his  attendants,  if  a  party  which  they  expected 
from  Canada,  and  which  arrived  two  or  three  days  after,  had 
come  in  proper  season  to  their  assistance.  However  this  might 
be,  it  is  certain  that  in  the  space  of  six  weeks,  a  body  of  French 
and  Indians,  500  in  number,  having  divided  themselves  into 
several  parties,  attacked  all  the  settlements  from  Casco  to 
Wells,  and  killed  and  took  130  people,  burning  and  destroying 
all  before  them. 

The  next  week,  August  17th,  a  party  of  thirty  Indians,  under 
Captain  Tom,  killed  five  people  at  Hampton  village ;  among 
whom  was  a  widow  Mussy,  a  noted  speaker  among  the  Friends, 
and  much  lamented  by  them ;  they  also  plundered  two  houses, 
but  the  people  being  alarmed,  and  pursuing  them,  they  fled. 


The 
andcl 
their 
were 
A  scoi 
to  thel 
frequej 
west, 
bmall 
In 
wackej 
this  eJ 
scalps. 
As  1 
provjid 
plann€ 
ans.   I 
\  ter,Ca 
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QUEEN  ANNES  WAR. 


n 


The  country  was  now  in  terror  and  confusion.  The  women 
and  children  retired  to  the  garrisons.  The  men  went  armed  to 
their  work,  and  posted  sentinels  in  the  fields.  Troops  of  horse 
were  quartered  at  Portsmouth  and  in  the  province  of  Maine. 
A  scout  of  360  men  marched  toward  Pigwacket,  and  another 
to  the  Ossapy  Pond,  but  made  no  discoveries.  Alarms  were 
frequent,  and  the  whole  frontier  country,  from  Deerfield  on  the 
west,  to  Casco  on  the  east,  was  kept  in  continual  terror  by 
bmall  parties  of  the  enemy. 

In  the  fall.  Colonel  March,  of  Casco,  made  a  visit  to  Pig- 
wacket, where  he  killed  six  of  the  enemy  and  took  six  more ; 
this  encouraged  the  government  to  oflfer  a  bounty  of  40/.  for 
scalps. 

As  the  winter  came  on,  the  frontier  towns  were  ordered  to 
provjde  a  large  number  of  snow  shoes ;  and  an  expedition  was 
planned  in  New  Hampshire  against  the  head  quarters  of  the  Indi- 
ans. Major  Winthrop  Hilton  and  Captain  John  Gilman,  of  Exe- 
ter, Captain  Chesley  and  Captain  Davis,  of  Oyster  river,  marched 
with  their  companies  on  snow  shoes  into  the  woods,  iDut  re- 
turned without  success.  This  is  called  in  the  council  books, 
"  an  honourable  service."  Hilton  received  a  gratuity  of  12/., 
and  each  of  the  captains  5/. 

(1704.)  With  the  return  of  spring  there  was  a  return 
of  hostilities  ;  for,  notwithstanding  the  posting  a  few  southern 
Indians  in  the  garrison  at  Berwick,  the  enemy  appeared  at 
Oyster  river,  and  shot  Nathaniel  Medar  near  his  own  field,  and 
the  next  day  killed  Edward  Taylor  near  Lamprey  river,  and 
captured  his  wife  and  son.  These  instances  of  mischief  gave 
colour  to  a  false  alarm  at  Cochecho,  where  it  was  said  they  lay 
in  wait  for  Colonel  Waldron  a  whole  day,  but  missing  him  by 
reason  of  his  absence  from  home,  took  his  servant  maid  as  she 
went  to  a  spring  for  water ;  and  having  examined  her  as  to  the 
state  of  the  garrison,  stunned  her  with  a  hatchet,  but  did  not 
scalp  her. 

In  May,  Colonel  Church,  by  Governor  Dudley's  order,  hav- 
ing planned  an  expedition  to  the  eastern  shore,  sailed  from 
Boston  with  a  number  of  transports,  furnished  with  whaleboats 
for  going  up  rivers.  In  his  way  he  stopped  at  Pascataqua,  where 
he  was  joined  by  a  body  of  men  under  Major  Hilton,  who  was 
10  G 


78 


QUEEN   ANNES  WAR. 


r^ 


of  eminent  service  to  him  in  this  expedition,  which  lasted  the 
whole  summer,  and  in  which  they  destroyed  the  towns  of  Minas 
and  Chiegnecto,  and  did  considerable  damage  to  the  French  and 
Indians  at  Penobscot  and  Passamaquoddy,  and  even  insulted 
Port  Royal.  While  they  were  at  Mount  Desart,  Church  learned 
from  nine  of  his  prisoners,  that  a  body  of  600  Indians  were 
preparing  /or  an  attack  on  Casco  and  the  head  of  Pascataqua 
river,  and  sent  an  express  to  Portsmouth,  which  obliged  the 
people  to  bo  vigilant.  No  P'  ch  great  force  as  this  appeared,  but 
small  parties  kept  hovering  on  the  outskirts.  At  Oyster  river 
th^y  wounded  William  Tusker ;  and  at  Dover  they  laid  in  am- 
bush for  the  people  on  their  return  from  public  worship,  but 
happily  missed  their  aim.  They  afterwards  mortally  wounded 
Mark  Gyles  at  that  place,  and  soon  after  killed  several  people 
in  a  field  at  Oyster  river,  whose  names  are  not  mentionedi. 
•  In  the  former  wars,  New  Hampshire  had  received  much  assist- 
ance from  their  brethren  of  Massachusetts ;  but  these  now  remon- 
strated to  the  governor  that  his  other  province  did  not  bear 
their  proportion  of  the  charge  for  the  common  deli 'nee.  The 
representatives  of  New  Hampshire  urged,  in  reply,  the  different 
circumstances  of  the  two  provinces,  "most  of  the  towns  in 
Massachusetts  being  out  of  the  reach  of  the  enemy,  and  no 
otherwise  affected  by  the  war,  than  in  the  payment  of  their 
part  of  the  expense,  while  this  province  was  wholly  a  frontier 
by  sea  and  land,  and  in  equal  danger  with  the  county  of  York, 
in  which  four  companies  were  stationed,  and  the  inhabitants 
were  abated  their  proportion  of  the  public  charges."  They 
begged  that  twenty  of  the  friendly  Indians  might  bo  sent  to 
scout  on  their  borders,  which  request  the  governor  complied 
with. 

In  the  winter  of  1705,  Colonel  Hilton  with  270  men,  includ- 
ing the  20  Indians,  were  sent  to  Norridgewog  on  snow  shoes. 
They  had  a  favourable  season  for  their  march,  the  snow  being 
four  feet  deep.  When  they  arrived  there,  finding  no  enemy  to 
contend  with,  they  burned  the  deserted  wigwams  and  the 
chapel.  The  officers  who  went  on  this  expedition  complained 
that  they  had  only  the  pay  of  ^^rivate  soldiers. 

The  late  repairs  of  Fort  William  and  Mary  at  Newcastle 
were  always  complained  of  as  burdensome  to  the  people,  and  a 


represei 
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QUEEN   ANNES  WAR. 


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representation  thereof  had  been  made  to  the  queen,  who  in- 
structed Dudley  to  press  the  assembly  of  MiiHsaciiusetts  to  con- 
tribute to  the  expense ;  as  the  river  belonged  equally  to  both 
provinces.  They  urged  in  excuse  that  the  fort  was  built  at 
first  at  the  sole  charge  of  New  llampwhire,  to  whom  it  pro- 
perly belonged ;  that  the  whole  expense  of  the  repairs  did  not 
amount  to  what  several  of  their  towns  singly  paid  towards 
the  support  of  the  war  for  one  year ;  that  all  the  trade  and 
navigation  of  the  river,  on  both  sides,  paid  a  duty  toward  main- 
taining that  fortrees;  and  that  they  had  been  at  a  great 
expense  in  protecting  the  frontiers  of  New  Hampshire,  and  the 
parties  who  were  employed  in  getting  timber  and  masts  for  her 
majesty's  service;  while  New  Hampshire  had  never  contributed 
anything  to  the  support  of  the  garrisons,  forces,  and  guards  by 
sea,  which  were  of  equal  benefit  to  thuni  as  to  Massachusetts. 
One  thing  which  made  New  Hampshire  more  in  favour  with 
the  queen  was,  that  they  had  settled  a  salary  on  her  governor, 
which  the  others  never  could  be  persuaded  to  do.  The  repairs 
of  the  fort,  however,  went  on  without  their  assistance,  under 
the  direction  of  Colonel  Romer;  and  when  they  were  com- 
pleted, a  petition  was  sent  home  for  a  supply  of  caimon,  am- 
munition, and  stores. 

The  next  summer  was  chiefly  spent  in  negotiating  an  ex- 
change of  prisoners ;  and  Dudley  had  the  address  to  protract 
the  negotiation,  under  pretence  of  consulting  with  the  other 
governments  about  a  neutrality  proposed  by  the  governor  of 
Canada,  by  which  means  the  frontiers  in  general  were  kept 
tolerably  (juiet,  although  the  enemy  appeared  once  or  twice  in 
the  town  of  Kittery.  The  line  of"  pickets  which  enclosed  the 
town  of  Portsmouth  was  repaired,  and  a  nightly  patrole  estab- 
lished on  the  sea-shore,  from  Rendezvous  Point  to  the  bounds 
of  Hampton,  to  prevent  any  surprise  by  sea ;  the  coast  being 
at  this  time  infested  by  the  enemy's  privateers. 

During  this  truce,  the  inhabitants  of  Kingston,  who  had 
left  the  place,  were  encouraged  to  petition  for  leave  to  return 
to  their  lands ;  which  the  court  granted,  on  condition  that 
they  should  build  a  fort  in  the  centre  of  the  town,  lay  out 
a  parsonage,  and  settle  a  minister  within  three  years.  This 
last  condition  was  rendered  impracticable  by  the  renewal  of 
hostilities. 


80 


QUEEN    ANNE\S  WAR. 


F 


The  governor  of  Canada  had  encouraged  the  Indians  who  in- 
habited tlio  borders  of  New  Enj^land  to  remove  to  Canada, 
where,  being  incorporated  with  the  tribe  of  St.  Francis,  thvy 
have  ever  since  remained.     By  this  policy  they  Ix^came  more 
firmly  attached  to  the  inlerests  of  the  French,  and  were  more 
easily  despatched  on  their  bloody  business  to  the  frontiers  of 
New  England,  with  which  they  were  well  acqiuiinted.    Dudley, 
who  was  generally  apprised  of  their  movements,  and  kept  a 
vigilant  eye  upon  them,  apprehended  a  rupture  in  the  winter ; 
and  gave  orders,  (1706,)  for  a  circular  scouting  march,  once  a 
month,  round  the  head  of  the  towns  from  Kingston  to  Salmon 
falls ;  but  the  en(  my  did  not  appear  till  April ;  when  a  small 
party  of  them  attacked  the  houno  of  John  Drew,  at  Oyster  river, 
where  they  killed  eight  and  wounded  two.    The  garrison  was 
near,  but  not  a  man  in  it;  the  women,  however,  seeing  but 
death  before  them,  fired  an  alarm,  and  then  putting  on  hats, 
and  loosening  their  hair,  that  they  might  appear  like  men,  they 
fired  so  briskly,  that  the  enemy,  apprehending  the  people  were 
alarmed,  fled  without  burning  or  even  plundering  the  house 
which  they  had  attacked.     John  Wheeler,  meeting  this  party, 
and  mistaking  them  for  friendly  Indians,  unhappily  fell  iuto 
their  hands,  and  was  killed,  with  his  wife  and  two  children. 
Four   of  his   sons   took  refuge   in   a  cave   by  the  bank  of 
the  Little  Bay,  and  though  pursued  by  the  Indians,  escaped 
unhurt. 

In  July,  Colonel  Schuyler,  from  Albany,  gave  notice  to  Dud- 
ley that  270  of  the  enemy  were  on  their  march  toward  Pasca- 
taqua,  of  which  he  immediately  informed  the  people,  and 
ordered  them  to  close  garrison,  and  one  half  of  the  militia  to 
})e  ready  at  a  minute's  warning.  The  first  appearance  of  this 
body  of  the  enemy  was  at  Dunstable ;  from  whence  they  pro- 
ceeded to  Amesbury  and  Kingston,  where  they  killed  some 
cattle.  Hilton,  with  sixty-four  men,  marched  from  Exeter ;  but 
was  obliged  to  return  without  meeting  the  enemy.  The  reason 
he  gave  to  the  council  for  returning  so  soon  was  the  want  of 
provision,  there  being  none  in  readiness  at  the  garrisons,  not- 
withstanding a  law  lately  enacted,  enjoining  every  town  to  have 
stores  ready,  and  deposited  in  the  hands  of  their  captains. 
For  the  same  reason  he  had  been  obliged  to  discontinue  a  small 


\ 


BCOUt  wl 

and  acti 

tiou  ;  ai 

his  hou> 

with  th 

crept  Im 

on  thoi 

of  the  V 

time,  a  I 

their  re 

lily  roo 

Pearl,  i 

during 

bodies 

the  peo 

few  of 

exponsi 

taken  ( 

In  tl 

sion  to 

stores  1 

and  tv 

unsettl 

cold  d 

winter 

near  E 

who  c 

prised 

of  wh 

mattei 

haunt 

happc 

truth, 

Wl 

licitcc 

woulc 

writt( 

naval 

anotl 


QUEEN    ANNES  WAR. 


81 


scout  whloh  he  luul  for  Rome  time  kept  up.  Tlilton  was  no  brave 
and  activo  an  officer  that  the  eueiny  had  iiuirked  him  for  «k»Htruo- 
tioii ;  and  for  this  purpoHe  a  party  of  tliem  kept  lurking  alK)ut 
hin  house,  where  they  observed  ten  men  to  go  out  one  morning 
with  their  scytlies,  and  hiy  aside  their  arms  to  mow  ;  they  then 
erept  l)et\veen  the  men  and  their  guns,  and  suddenly  rushing 
on  them,  killed  four,  wounded  one,  and  took  three;  two  only 
of  the  whole  number  escaped.  They  missed  the  major  for  this 
time,  and  two  of  the  prisoners  escaped;  but  suffered  much  in 
their  return,  having  nothing  to  subsist  on  for  three  weeks  but 
lily  roots  and  rinds  of  trees.  After  this  they  killed  William 
Pearl,  and  took  Nathaniel  Tibbets  at  Dover.  It  was  observt'd 
during  this  war  that  the  enemy  did  more  damage  in  small 
bodies  than  in  larger,  and  by  scattering  along  the  frontiers  kept 
the  peo})lo  in  continual  apprehension  and  alarm ;  and  so  very 
few  of  them  were  taken  prisoners,  that  in  computing  the 
expense  of  the  war  it  was  judged  that  every  Indian  killed  or 
taken  cost  the  country  a  thousand  pounds. 

In  the  following  winter,  1707,  Hilton  made  another  excur- 
sion to  the  eastward,  and  a  shallop  was  sent  to  Casco  with 
stores  and  provisions  for  his  party,  consisting  of  two  hundred 
and  twenty  men.  The  winter  being  mild,  :ind  the  weathei 
unsettled,  prevented  their  marching  so  far  as  they  intended  : 
cold  dry  weather,  and  deep  snow,  being  most  favourable  to 
winter  expeditions.  However,  they  came  on  an  Indian  track 
near  Black  Point,  and  pursuing  it,  killed  four,  and  took  a  squaw, 
who  conducted  them  to  a  party  of  eighteen,  whom  they  sur- 
prised as  they  lay  asleep  on  a  neck  of  land  at  break  of  day,  and 
of  whom  they  killed  seventeen,  and  took  the  other.  This  was 
matter  of  triumph,  considering  the  difficulty  of  finding  their 
haunts.  It  is  asserted,  that  on  the  very  morning  this  affair 
happened,  it  was  reported,  with  but  little  variation  from  the 
truth,  at  Portsmouth,  though  at  the  distance  of  sixty  miles. 

When  Church  went  to  Nova  Scotia,  he  very  earnestly  so- 
licited leave  to  make  an  attempt  on  Port  Royal ;  but  Dudley 
would  not  consent,  and  the  reason  he  gave  was,  that  he  had 
vvritten  to  the  ministry  in  England,  and  expected  orders  and 
naval  help  to  reduce  the  place.  His  enemies  however  assigned 
another  reason  for  his  refusal ;  which  was  that  a  clandestin*» 

a2 


'::3ali 


82 


QUEEN  ANNES  WAR. 


It'll 


trade  was  carried  on  by  his  connivance,  and  to  his  emohiment, 
with  the  French  there.  This  report  gained  credit,  and  occa- 
sioned a  loud  call  for  justice.  Those  who  were  directly  con- 
cerned in  the  illegal  traffic,  were  prosecuted  and  fined ;  and  the 
governor  suflfered  much  in  his  reputation.  To  wipe  off  thes^ 
aspersions,  he  now  determined  to  make  an  attack  in  earnest  on 
Port  Eoyal,  even  though  no  assistance  should  come  from  Eng- 
land. It  was  intended  that  an  armament  should  be  sent  to 
America,  and  the  commander  was  appointed ;  but  the  state  of 
affairs  in  Europe  prevented  their  coming. 

Early  in  the  spring  the  governor  applied  to  the  Assemblies 
of  both  his  provinces,  and  to  the  colonies  of  Rhode  Island  and 
Connecticut,  requesting  them  to  raise  one  thousand  men  for  the 
expedition.     Connecticut  declined ;  but  the  other  three. raised 
the  whole  number,  who  were  disposed  into  two  regiments,  of 
which  Colonel  Wainwright  commanded  the  one,  and  Colonel 
Hilton  the  other.     They  embarked  at  Nantasket  in  twenty- 
three  transports,  furnished  with  whaleboats,  under  convoy  of 
the  Deptford  man-of-war,  Captain  Stuckley,  and  the  province 
galley.  Captain  Southack.     The  chief  command  was  given  to 
Colonel  March,  who  had  behaved  well  in  several  scouts  and 
rencounters  with  the  Indians,  but  had  never  been  tried  in  such 
service  as  this.     They  arrived  before  Port  Royal  in  a  few  days, 
and  after  burning  some  houses,  killing  some  cattle  round  the 
fort,  and  making  some  ineffectual  attempts  to  bombard  it,  a 
jealousy  and  disagreement  among  the  officers,  and  a  misappre- 
hension of  the  state  of  the  fort  and  garrison,  caused  the  army 
to  break  up  and  reimbark  in  a  disorderly  manner.     Some  of 
the  officers  went  to  Boston  for  orders,  some  of  the  transports 
put  in  at  Casco ;  a  sloop,  with  Captain  Chesley's  company  of  60 
men,  arrived  at  Portsmouth  :  Chesley  suffered  his  men  to  dis- 
perse, but  ordered  them  to  return  at  the  beat  of  the  drum :  be- 
ing called  to  account  for  this  conduct,  he  alleged  that  "  general 
orders  were  given  at  Port  Royal  for  every  man  to  make  the 
best  of  his  way  home  "     The  governor,  highly  chagrined,  and 
vizy  angry,  sent  orders  from  Boston  that  if  any  more  vessels 
arrived,  the  men  should  not  be  permitted  to  come  on  shore  "on 
pain  of  death."     After  a  while  he  ordered  Chesley's  company 
to  be  collected  and  reimbarked,  offering  a  pardon  to  those  who 


voluntari 

latter  enc 

array,  re 

buscade 

wall,  gre 

Chesley, 

nies,  pus 

after  an 

was  nov 

direction 

union,  fi 

of  Augu 

sickly,  f{ 

loss  thai 

Whik 

were  kc 

Oyster  i 

\  between 

his  tioo 

Jacob  ( 

Kingsto 

to  the  g 

exposed 

eight  m 

ment,  \ 

them  u 

of  their 

pleasur 

for  con 

was  tr 

abroad 

tinual 

discipli 

tinual 

armed 

the  ga 

their  1 

taxes 

cnemj 


QUEEN  ANNES  WAR. 


83 


voluntarily  returned,  the  rest  to  be  severely  punished.  By  the 
latter  end  of  July  they  got  on  board,  and  with  the  rest  of  the 
army,  returned  to  the  place  of  action.  At  the  landing,  an  am- 
buscade of  Indians  from  among  the  sedge  on  the  top  of  a  sea- 
wall, greatly  annoyed  the  troops.  Major  Walton,  and  Captain 
Chesley,  being  then  on  shore  with  the  New  Hampshire  compa- 
nies, pushed  their  men  up  the  beach,  flanked  the  enemy,  and 
after  an  obstinate  struggle,  put  them  to  flight.  The  command 
was  now  given  to  Wainwright,  and  the  army  put  under  the 
direction  of  three  supervisors ;  but  no  means  could  inspire  that 
union,  firmness,  and  skill,  which  were  necessary.  By  the  last 
of  August  the  whole  affair  was  at  an  end,  and  the  army  returned 
sickly,  fatigued,  disheartened,  and  ashamed ;  but  with  no  greater 
loss  than  sixteen  killed,  and  as  many  wounded. 

While  this  unfortunate  expedition  was  in  hand,  the  frontiers 
were  kept  in  continual  alarm.  Two  men  were  taken  from 
Oyster  river,  and  two  more  killed  as  they  were  driving  a  team 
between  that  place  and  Dover.  Captain  Sumersby  pursued  with 
his  tioop  and  recovered  the  contents  of  the  cart.  Stephen  and 
Jacob  Oilman,  brothers,  were  ambushed  between  Exeter  and 
Kingston ;  their  horses  were  killed,  but  both  of  them  escaped 
to  the  garrison.  Kingston,  being  a  new  plantation,  was  much 
exposed,  and  was  this  summer  weakened  by  the  desertion  of 
eight  men.  The  remaining  inhabitants  complained  to  govern- 
ment, who  ordered  the  captains  of  Exeter  and  Hampton  to  take 
them  up  as  deserters,  and  oblige  them  to  return  to  the  defence 
of  their  settlements,  or  do  duty  at  the  foi  t  during  the  governor's 
pleasure.  They  were  afterwards  bound  over  to  the  sessions 
for  contempt  of  orders.  The  state  of  the  country  at  this  time 
was  truly  distressing ;  a  large  quota  of  their  best  men  were 
abroad,  the  rest  harassed  by  the  enemy  at  home,  obliged  to  con- 
tinual duty  in  garrisons  and  in  scouts,  and  subject  to  severe 
discipline  for  neglects.  They  earned  ttieir  bread  at  the  con- 
tinual hazard  of  their  lives,  never  daring  to  stir  abroad  un- 
armed ;  they  could  till  no  lands  but  what  were  within  call  of 
the  garrisoned  houses  into  which  their  families  were  crowded : 
their  husbandry,  lumber-trade,  and  fishery  were  declining,  their 
taxes  increasing,  their  apprehensicjns  both  from  the  force  of  tht; 
enemy  and  the  failure  of  the  Port  Royal  expedition  were  ex 


see 


wwwwi— yw.w 


84 


QUEEN   ANNES  WAR. 


ceedingly  dismal,  and  there  was  no  prospect  of  an  end  of  the 
war,  in  whicli  they  were  now  advanced  to  the  fifth  summer. 
Yet  under  all  these  distresses,  and  discouragements,  they  reso- 
lute ly  kept  their  ground  and  maintained  their  garrisons — not 
one  of  which  was  cut  oflf  during  the  whole  of  this  war,  within 
the  limitF  of  New  Hampshire. 

In  September,  one  man  was  killed  at  Exeter,  and  two  days 
after  Henry  Elkins  at  Kingston.  But  the  severest  blow  on  the 
frontiers  happened  at  Oyster  river,  a  place  which  suffered  more 
than  all  the  rest.  A  party  of  French  Mohawks,  painted  red, 
attacked  with  a  hideous  yell  a  company  who  were  in  the  woods, 
some  hewing  timber  and  others  driving  a  team,  under  the  di- 
rection of  Captain  Chesley,  who  was  just  returaed  the  second 
time  from  Port  Royal.  At  the  first  fire  they  killed  seven  and 
mortally  wounded  another.  Chesley,  with  the  few  who  were 
left,  fired  on  the  enemy  with  great  vigour,  and  for  some  time 
checked  their  ardour ;  but  being  overpowered,  he  at  length  fell. 
He  was  much  lamented,  being  a  brave  officer.  Three  of  the 
scalps  taken  at  this  time  wore  soon  after  recovered  at  Berwick. 

The  next  year,  1708,  a  large  army  from  Canada  was  destined 
against  the  frontiers  of  New  England.  Dudley  received  in- 
formation of  it  in  the  usual  route  from  Albany,  and  immediately 
ordered  guards  in  the  most  exposed  places  of  both  his  provinces. 
A  troop  ^er  Captain  Robert  Coffin  patroled  from  Kingston  to 
Cochechc  ..nd  vscouts  were  kept  out  continually.  Spy-boats 
were  also  kept  out  at  sea  between  Pascataqun  and  Winter  har- 
bours. Four  hundred  Massachusetts  soldiers  were  ported  in 
this  province.  The  towns  were  ordered  to  provide  ammunition, 
and  all  things  were  in  as  good  a  state  of  preparation  as  could 
be  expected.  At  length  the  storm  lell  on  Haverhill ;  but  the 
enemy's  force  having  been  diminished  by  various  accidents, 
they  proceeded  no  farther,  and  every  part  of  New  Hampshire 
was  quiet.  Hilton  made  another  winter  march  to  Pigwacket 
with  170  men,  but  made  no  discovery. 

•  Tlie  next  spring  1709,  "William  Moody,  Samuel  Stevens,  and 
two  sons  of  Jeremy  Gilman,  were  taken  at  Pickpocket-mill  in 
Exeter,  and  soon  after  Bartholomew  Stevenson  was  killed  at 
Oyster  river.  Colonel  Hilton  and  Captain  Davis  performed 
their  usual  tour  of  duty  in  scouting,  and  the  people  this  summer 


Kept  clos( 

inarched 

now  in  vi 

year,  by  { 

this  purp 

Nicholsoi 

and  Capt 

well  acqi 

a  full  re] 

British 

came  ov 

the  gov€ 

vice.    ^ 

nation  o 

governn 

New  Hi 

been  so 

without 

another 

procure 

exertioi 

Nichols 

and  th 

monthi 

promis 

which 

fused 

and  tl 

gress 

in  th 

home 

state 

the  r 

propt 

solve 

Nich 

kctc 

Ilaii 

eoon 


QUEEN    ANNES  WAR. 


85 


Kept  close  in  garrison,  on  a  report  that  two  hundred  Indians  had 
marched  against  them  from  Montreal.  But  the  principal  object 
now  in  view  was  a  desire  of  wipii^-^  off  the  disgrace  of  a  former 
year,  by  an  attempt,  not  on  Port  Royal,  but  on  Canada  itself.  For 
this  purpose  solicitations  had  been  made  in  England  by  Francis 
Nicholson,  Esq.,  who  had  been  Lieutenant-governor  of  Virginia, 
and  Captain  Samuel  Vetch,  a  trader  to  Nova  Scotia,  who  was 
well  acquainted  with  the  French  settlements  there,  and  made 
a  full  representation  of  the  state  of  things  in  America  to  the 
British  ministry.  An  expedition  being  determined  upon,  they 
came  over  early  in  the  spring  with  the  queen's  command  to 
the  governors  of  the  several  provinces  to  raise  men  for  the  ser- 
vice. Vetch  was  appointed  a  colonel,  and  Nicholson,  by  nomi- 
nation of  the  Governor  of  New  York,  and  consent  of  the  other 
governments,  v/as  made  commander  in  chief.  The  people  of 
New  Hampshire  were  so  much  exhausted,  and  their  men  had 
been  so  ill  paid  bf^fore,  that  it  was  with  great  difficulty,  and  not 
without  the  dissolution  of  one  assembly  and  the  calling  of 
another,  that  they  could  raise  money  to  levy  100  men,  and 
procure  two  transports  for  conveying  them.  After  the  utmost 
exertions  had  been  made  by  the  several  governments,  and 
Nicholson  with  part  of  the  troops  had  marched  to  Wood  creek, 
and  the  rest  witii  the  transports  had  lain  at  Nantasket  three 
months  waiting  for  a  fleet,  news  arrived  that  the  annament 
promised  from  England  was  diverted  to  another  quarter.  Upon 
which  the  commander  of  the  frigates  on  the  Boston  station  re- 
fused to  convoy  the  troops,  the  whole  army  was  disbanded, 
and  the  expense  the  colonies  had  been  at  was  fruitless.  A  con- 
gress of  governors  and  delegates  from  the  assemblies  met  late 
in  the  year  at  Rhode  Island,  who  recommended  the  sending 
home  agents  to  assist  Colonel  Nicholson  in  representing  the 
state  of  the  country,  and  soliciting  an  expedition  against  Canada 
the  next  spring.  The  ministry  at  first  seemed  to  listen  to  this 
proposal,  but  afterward  (1710)  changed  their  minds,  and  re- 
solved only  on  the  reduction  of  Port  Royal.  For  this  purpose* 
Nicholson  went  over  in  July  with  five  frigates  and  a  ])omb' 
ketch ;  the  colonies  then  had  to  raise  their  quotas ;  the  New 
Hampshire  assembly  ordered  100  men,  who  were  got  ready  as 
«oon  as  possible,  and  put  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Shad- 


ii 


ill 


86 


QUEEN    ANNES  WAR. 


it 


I  »■ 


ji 


\[% 


\\^ 


rach  Walton.  The  whole  armament  sailed  from  Boston  the 
18th  of  September,  and  on  the  24th  arrived  at  the  place.  The 
force  now  being  equal  to  its  reduction,  Subcroaso,  the  governor, 
waited  only  the  compliment  of  a  few  shot  and  ^]lells  as  a  decent 
pretence  for  a  surrender ;  which  was  completed  on  the  5th  of 
October,  and  Vetch  was  appointed  governor  of  the  place,  which 
in  honour  of  the  queen  was  called  Annapolis. 

While  this  expedition  was  in  hand,  and  1)eforo  the  appoint- 
ment of  the  commanders,  New  Hampshire  sustained  a  heavy 
loss  in  the  death  of  Col.  Winthrop  Hilton,  1'his  worthy  officer 
being  concerned  in  the  masting  business,  and  having  several 
large  trees  felled  about  fourteen  miles  from  home,  went  out 
with  a  party  to  peel  the  bark  that  the  wood  might  not  be  in- 
jured by  worms.  While  engaged  in  this  business  they  were 
ambushed  by  a  party  of  Indians,  who  .at  the  first  fire  killed 
Hilton  with  two  more,  and  took  two ;  the  rest  being  terrified, 
and  their  guns  being  wet,  made  no  opposition,  l)ut  escaped.  The 
next  day  100  men  marched  in  pursuit,  but  discovered  only  the 
mangled  bodies  of  the  dead.  The  enemy  in  their  barbarous 
triumph  had  struck  their  hatchets  into  the  colonel's  brains, 
and  left  a  lance  in  his  heart.  He  was  a  gentleman  "  of  good 
temper,  courage,  and  conduct,  respected  and  lamented  by  all 
that  knew  him,"  and  was  buried  with  the  honours  due  to  his 
rank  and  character. 

Flushed  with  this  success,  they  insolently  appeared  in  the 
open  road  at  Exeter,  and  took  four  children  who  were  at  their 
play.  They  also  took  John  Wedgwood,  and  killed  John  Magoon 
near  his  brother's  barn,  a  place  which  for  three  days  he  had 
visited  with  a  melancholy  apprehension  arising  from  a  dream 
that  he  should  there  be  murdered. 

The  same  day  that  Hilton  was  killed,  a  company  of  Indians 
who  had  pretended  friendship,  and  the  year  Ijofore  had  been 
peaceably  conversant  with  the  inhabitants  of  Kingston,  and 
seemed  to  be  thirsting  after  the  blood  of  the  enemy,  came  into 
♦  the  town,  and  ambushing  the  road,  killed  Samuel  Winslow  and 
Samuel  Huntoon ;  they  also  took  Philip  Huntoon  and  Jacob 
Oilman,  and  carried  them  to  Canada,  whore,  after  some  time, 
^hey  purchased  their  oAvn  redemption  by  building  a  saw-mill 
for  the  governor  after  the  English  mode. 


( 


The 
killed  a 
the  win 
the  eas 
season 
the  pai 
smoke, 
among 
sachem 
himself 
questio 
with  d( 
the  thi 
which 
sequen 
inform* 
killed, 
the  sp 
who  w 
In  i 
frontie 
three  : 
severa' 
return 
Hump 
Lieute 


QUEEN  ANNES  WAR. 


The  last  that  fell  this  summer  was  Jjicob  Garland,  who  was 
killed  at  Cochecho  on  his  return  from  the  public  worship.  As 
the  winter  approached,  Colonel  Walton,  with  170  men,  traversed 
the  eastern  shores,  which  the  Indians  usually  visited  at  this 
season  for  the  purpose  of  gathering  clams.  On  an  island  where 
the  party  was  encamped,  several  Indians,  decoyed  by  theii 
smoke,  and  mistaking  them  for  some  of  their  own  tribe,  came 
among  them  and  were  made  prisoners.  One  of  them  was  a 
sachem  of  Norridgwog,  active,  bold,  and  sullen ;  when  he  found 
himself  in  the  hands  of  enemies  he  would  answer  none  of  their 
questions,  and  laughed  with  scorn  at  their  threatening  him 
with  death.  His  wife  being  an  eye-witness  of  the  execution  of 
the  threatening,  was  so  intimidated  as  to  make  the  discoveries 
which  the  captors  had  in  vain  desired  of  the  sachem ;  in  con- 
sequence of  which,  three  were  taken  at  the  place  of  which  she 
informed,  and  two  more  at  Saco  river,  where  also  five  were 
killed.  This  success,  inc^'^siderable  as  it  may  appear,  kept  up 
the  spirits  of  the  people,  and  added  to  the  loss  of  the  enemy, 
who  were  daily  diminishing  by  sickness  and  famine. 

In  the  spring,  1711,  they  renewed  their  ravages  on  the 
frontiers  in  small  parties.  Thomas  Downs,  John  Church,  and 
three  more  were  killed  at  Cochecho;  and  on  a  sabbath-day 
several  of  the  people  there  fell  into  an  ambush  as  they  were 
returning  from  public  worship.  John  Horn  was  wounded,  and 
Humphrey  Foss  was  taken ;  but  by  the  determined  bravery  of 
Lieutenant  Heard,  he  was  recovered  out  of  the  hands  of  the 
enemy,  Walton  with  two  companies  marched  to  the  ponds 
about  the  fishing  season,  but  the  Indians  had  withdrawn,  and 
nothing  was  to  be  seen  but  their  deserted  wigwams. 

After  the  reduction  of  Port  Royal,  Nicholson  went  to  Eng- 
land to  solicit  an  expedition  against  Canada.  The  tory  ministry 
of  Queen  Anne,  to  the  surprise  of  all  the  Whigs  in  England  and 
America,  fell  in  with  the  proposal ;  and  on  the  8  th  of  June, 
Nicholson  came  to  Boston  with  orders  for  the  northern  colonies 
to  get  ready  their  quotas  of  men  and  provision  by  the  arrival 
of  the  fleet  and  army  from  Europe,  which  happened  within 
sixteen  days,  and  while  the  several  governors  were  holding  a 
consultation  on  the  subject  of  their  orders.  A.  compliance 
with  them  in  so  short  a  time  was  impossible,  yet,  everything 


(iifyjMiiMii  r   I  w*» 


I    i 


88 


QUEEN    ANNES    WAR. 


li^ 


that  could  be  done  was  done ;  the  nature  of  the  service  conspir- 
ing with  the  wishes  of  the  people,  made  the  gov  ^rnments  exert 
themselves  to  the  utmost.  New  Hampshire  rait-ed  100  men, 
which  was  more  than  they  could  well  spare ;  one  half  of  the 
militia  being  continually  employed  in  guarding  the  .^rontiers. 
They  also  voted  them  subsistence  for  126  days,  besides  pro- 
viding for  them  on  shore  before  their  embarkation.  Two  trans- 
ports were  taken  up  at  85.  per  month  per  ton,  and  artillery 
stores  were  issued  from  the  fort.  The  colony  forces  formed  two 
regiments,  under  the  command  of  Vetch  and  "Walton.  The 
army  which  came  from  England  were  seven  veteran  regiments 
of  the  Duke  of  Marlborough "  ■  ai  my,  and  a  battalion  of  marines 
under  the  command  of  l^ric'-adier-General  Hill,  which,  joined 
with  the  New  Eiipl;nd  troops,  made  a  body  of  about  6500 
men,  provided  wi  h  a  (vue  tj  tin  of  artillery.  The  fleet  consisted 
of  fifteen  ships  of  Wv-^r  trori  ciglity  to  thirty-six  guns,  with  forty 
transports  and  six  stor'-Fkip^  ^.nder  the  command  of  Admiral 
Walker, — a  force  fully  equul  to  the  reduction  of  Quebec. 

The  fleet  sailed  from  Boston  on  the  30th  of  July ;  and  a  fast 
was  ordered  by  Dudley  to  be  kept  on  the  last  Thursday  of  that, 
and  each  succeeding  month,  till  the  enterprise  should  be  finished. 
This  was  an  imitation  of  the  conduct  of  the  Long  Parliament, 
during  the  civil  wars  in  the  previous  century.  But  the  san- 
guine hopes  of  success  which  had  been  entertained  by  the 
nation  and  the  colonies,  were  all  blasted  in  one  fatal  night ;  for, 
the  fleet  hfiving  advanced  ten  leagues  into  the  river  St.  Law- 
rence, in  the  night  of  the  23d  of  August,  the  weather  being 
thick  and  dark,  eight  transports  were  wrecked  on  Egg  Island 
near  the  north  shore,  and  1000  people  perished;  of  whom 
there  was  but  one  man  who  belonged  to  New  Englan^l.  The 
next  day  the  fleet  put  back,  and  were  eight  dayiL  beating  down 
the  river  against  an  easterly  wind,  which  would  in  two  days 
liave  carried  them  to  Quebec.  After  collecting  together  at 
Spanish  river  in  the  island  of  Cape  Breton,  and  holding  a  fruits 
less  consultation  about  annoying  1  he  French  at  Placentia,  the 
expedition  was  broken  up;  the  fle^t  returned  to  England,  and 
the  Now  England  troops  to  their  homes.  Loud  complaints  and 
heavy  charges  were  made  on  tl  is  occasion ;  the  ignorance  of 
the  pilots — the  obstinacy  of  the    admiral — the  detention  of 


I 


QUEEN    ANNES  WAR. 


89 


3 

i  5 


WRECK    OK   THE    ENGLISH   FLEET. 


the  fleet  at  Boston, — its  lute  arrival  there — the  want  of  sea- 
sonable orders — and  the  secret  intentions  of  the  ministry, 
were  all  subjects  of  bitter  altercation ;  but  the  miscarriage  was 
never  regularly  inquired  into,  and  the  disasters  of  the  vojag'e 
were  finally  completed  by  the  blowing  up  of  the  admiral's  ship, 
with  most  of  his  papers,  and  400  seamen,  at  Spithead. 

The  failure  of  this  expedition  encouraged  the  Indians  to 
harass  the  frontiers  as  soon  as  the  season  would  permit.  In 
April  one  Cunningham  was  killed  at  Exeter,  Ensign  Tuttle  at 
Dover,  and  Jeremy  Cronnnet  at  Oyster  river;  on  one  of  the 
upper  branches  of  this  stream  the  enemy  burned  a  saw-mill  with 
a  large  quantity  of  boards.  A  scouting  party  who  went  up  the 
river  Merrimack,  had  the  good  fortune  to  surprise  and  kill 
eight  Indians,  and  recover  a  considerable  quantity  of  plunder, 
Without  the  loss  of  a  man.  The  frontiers  were  well  guarded  ; 
one-half  of  the  militia  did  duty  at  the  garrisons,  and  were  ready 
to  march  at  a  minute's  warning ;  a  scout  of  forty  men  kept 
ranging  on  the  heads  of  the  towns,  and  the  like  care  was  taken 
by  seji — spy-boats  being  employed  in  <'oasting  from  Cape  Ned- 
dock  to  the  Great  Boar's-head.  Notwithstanding  this  vigilance, 
small  parties  of  the  enemy  were  frequently  seen.    Stephen 

u 


90 


QUEEN   ANNES  WAR. 


Gilmon  and  Ebenezer  Stevens  were  wounded  at  Kingston — the 
former  was  taken  and  put  to  death.  In  July,  an  ambush  was 
discovered  at  Dover,  but  the  enemy  escaped ;  and  while  a  party 
was  gone  in  pursuit  of  them,  two  children  of  John  Waldron 
were  taken,  and  for  want  of  time  to  scalp  them,  their  heads 
were  cut  off.  There  being  no  man  at  that  time  in  Heard's  gar- 
rison, a  woman,  named  Esther  Jones,  mounted  guard,  and  with 
a  commanding  voice  called  so  loudly  and  resolutely,  as  made 
the  enemy  think  there  was  help  at  hand,  and  prevented  farther 
mischief. 

In  autumn  the  news  of  the  peace  of  Utrecht  arrived  in  Ame- 
rica ;  and  on  the  29th  of  October,  the  suspension  of  arms  was 
proclaimed  at  Portsmouth.  The  Indians,  being  informed  of  this 
event,  came  in  with  a  flag  of  truce  to  Captain  Moody  at  Casco, 
and  desired  a  treaty ;  which  the  governor,  with  the  council  of 
each  province,  1713,  held  at  Portsmouth,  where  the  chiefs  and 
deputies  of  the  several  belligerent  tribes,  by  a  formal  writing 
under  hand  and  seal,  acknowledged  their  perfidy,  promised 
fidelity,  renewed  their  allegiance,  submitted  to  the  laws,  and 
begged  the  queen's  pardon  for  their  former  miscarriages.  The 
frecjuent  repetition  of  such  engagements,  and  as  frequent  viola- 
tions of  them,  had  by  this  time  much  abated  the  sense  of  obli- 
gation on  the  one  part,  and  of  confidence  on  the  other.  But  it 
being  for  the  interest  of  both  parties  to  be  at  peace,  the  event 
was  peculiarly  welcome. 

To  preserve  the  dependence  of  the  Indians,  and  to  prevent 
all  occasions  of  complaint,  private  traffic  with  them  was  for- 
bidden, and  truck-houses  established  at  the  pubUc  expense ;  and 
the  next  summer,  1714,  a  ship  was  fitted  out  by  both  provinces, 
and  sent  to  Quebec,  where  an  exchange  of  prisoners  was 
effected. 


W 


tribe 

one 

Sebr 

goo^ 

thei 

gain 

Knc 

tool^ 

Ush 

Fre 

son 


e 


» 


INDIAN   SCOUT. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

LOVEWELL'S  WAR. 

HE  fourth  Indian  war  in  which  the  people 
of  New  England  were  engaged,  be- 
came generally  known  as  "  Lovewell's 
^-^i^-  War,"  Captain  John  Lovewell  being 
the  chief  actor  in  it  upon  the  side  of 
the  whites.  The  French  Jesuits  had 
planted  themselves  among  the  eastern 
tribes,  and  had  obtained  great  influence  over  them.  They  had 
one  church  at  Penobscot,  and  another  at  Norridgewog,  where 
Sebastian  Ralle,  a  French  Jesuit,  resided.  He  was  a  man  of 
good  sense,  learning,  and  address,  and  by  a  compliance  with 
their  mode  of  life,  and  a  gentle,  condescending  deportment,  had 
gained  their  affections  so  as  to  manage  them  at  his  pleasure. 
Knowing  the  power  of  superstition  over  the  savage  mind,  he 
took  advantage  of  this,  and  of  their  prejudice  against  the  Eng- 
lish, to  promote  the  cause,  and  strengthen  the  interest  of  the 
French  among  them.  He  even  made  the  offices  of  devotion 
serve  as  incentives  to  their  ferocity,  and  kept  a  flag,  in  which 

(91) 


92 


LOVEWELLS   WAR. 


was  depicted  a  cross,  surrounded  by  bows  and  arrows,  which  he 
used  t<3  hoist  on  a  pole,  at  the  door  of  his  church,  when  he 
gave  them  absolution,  previously  to  their  engaging  in  any  war- 
like enterprise. 

With  this  Jesuit,  the  governor  of  Canada  held  a  clone  corres- 
pondence ;  and  by  him  was  informed  of  everything  transacted 
among  the  Indians  By  this  means,  their  discontent  with  the 
English,  on  account  of  the  settlements  made  at  the  eastward, 
was  heightened  and  inflamed ;  and  they  received  every  encou- 
ragement, to  asHcrt  their  title  to  the  lands  in  question,  and 
molest  the  settlers,  by  killing  their  cattle,  burning  their  stacks 
of  hay,  robbing  and  insulting  them.  These  insolencies  dis- 
couraged the  people,  and  caused  many  of  them  to  remove.  (1720.) 
The  garrisons  were  then  reinforced ;  and  scouting  parties  were 
ordered  into  the  eastern  quarter,  under  the  command  of  Colonel 
Shadrach  Walton.  By  this  appearance  of  force,  the  Indians, 
who  dreaded  the  power  of  the  English,  were  restrained  from 
open  hostilities.  They  had  frequent  parleys  with  the  com- 
manders of  forts,  and  with  commissioners  who  visited  them  oc- 
casionally ;  and  though  at  first  they  seemed  to  be  resolute  in 
demanding  the  removal  of  the  English,  declaring  that  "  they 
had  fought  for  the  land  three  time&i,  and  would  fight  for  it 
again ;"  yet  when  they  were  told  that  there  was  no  alternative 
but  perfect  peace  or  open  war,  and  that  if  they  chose  peace 
they  must  forbear  every  kind  of  insult,  they  seemed  to  prefer 
peace ;  and  either  pretended  ignorance  of  what  had  been  done, 
or  promised  to  make  inquiry  into  it ;  and  as  an  evidence  of 
their  good  intentions,  offered  a  tribute  of  skins,  and  delivered 
up  four  of  their  young  men  as  hostages,  This  proceeding  was 
highly  disrelished  by  the  governor  of  Canada,  who  renewed  his 
efforts  to  keep  up  the  quarrel,  and  secretly  promised  to  supply 
the  Indians  with  arms  and  ammunition ;  though  as  it  was  a 
time  of  peace  between  the  two  crowns,  he  could  not  openly 
assist  them. 

The  New  England  governments,  though  highly  incensed,  were 
not  easily  persuaded  to  consent  to  a  war.  The  dispute  was 
between  the  Indians  and  the  proprietors  of  the  eastern  lands, 
in  which  the  public  were  not  directly  interested.  No  blood 
had  as  yet  been  shed.     Canseau  had  been  surprised  and  plun- 


lovewell's  war 


98 


dered,  ond  some  p<'oplo  killed  there ;  but  that  was  in  the  govern- 
ment of  Nova  Scotia.  Rallo  was  regarded  as  the  principal  in- 
stigator of  the  Indians;  and  it  was  thought,  that  if  ho  could 
ho  taken  off,  they  would  be  quiet.  It  was  once  proposed  to 
hcnd  the  sLoriff  of  York  county,  with  a  posse  of  150  men,  to 
seize  and  btir.g  him  to  Boston ;  but  this  was  not  agreed  to. 
The  next  summer,  1721,  Ralle,  in  company  with  Castine,  from 
Penobscot,  and  Croisil,  from  Canada,  appeared  among  the  Indi- 
ans, at  a  conference  held  on  Arrowsic  inland,  with  Captain  Pen- 
hallow,  the  commander  of  the  garrison,  and  brought  a  letter, 
written  in  the  name  of  the  several  tribes  of  Indians,  directed 
to  Governor  Shute ;  in  which  it  was  declared,  "  that  if  tlie  Eng- 
lish did  not  remove  in  three  weeks,  they  would  kill  tlicm  and 
their  cattle,  and  burn  their  houses."  An  additional  guard  was 
sent  down ;  but  the  government,  loath  to  come  to  a  rupture, 
and  desirous,  it  possible,  to  treat  with  the  Indians  separately 
from  the  French  emissaries,  invited  them  to  another  conference, 
which  they  treated  with  neglect. 

In  the  succeeding  winter,  a  party  under  Colonel  Thomas 
Westbrooke  waw  ordered  to  Norridgewog  to  seize  Ralle.  They 
arrived  at  the  village  undiscovered,  but  before  they  could  sur- 
round his  house,  he  escaped  into  the  woods,  leaving  his  papers 
in  his  strong  box,  which  they  brought  off  without  doing  any 
other  damage.  Among  these  papers  were  his  letters  of  corre- 
spondence with  the  governor  of  Canada,  by  which  it  clearly  ap- 
peared, that  he  was  deeply  engaged  in  exciting  the  Indians  to 
a  rupture,  and  had  promised  to  assist  them. 

This  attempt  to  seize  their  spiritual  father,  could  not  long  be 
unrevenged.  The  next  summer,  1722,  they  took  nine  families 
from  Merrymeeting  bay,  and  after  dismissing  some  of  the  pri- 
soners, retained  enough  to  secure  the  redemption  of  their  hos- 
tages, and  sent  them  to  Canada.  About  the  same  time  they 
made  an  attempt  on  the  Fort  of  St.  George's ;  but  were  repulsed 
with  considerable  loss.  They  also  surprised  some  fishing  vessels 
in  the  eastern  harbours ;  and  at  length  made  a  furious  attack 
on  the  town  of  Brunswick,  which  they  destroyed.  This  action 
determined  the  government  to  issue  a  declaration  of  war  against 
them,  which  was  published  in  form  at  Boston  and  Portsmouth. 

New  Hampshire  being  seated  in  the  bosom  of  Massachusetts, 
12  h2 


MttMf 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


■  50 


12.0 


11.25  i  1.4 


1.6 


Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


\ 


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\\ 


[V 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)S7a-4S03 


6^ 


''■/**J»..^- 


^^> 


94 


LOVEWELLS  WAR. 


had  the  same  interest  to  serve,  and  bore  a  propc  ionable  share 
of  all  these  transactions  and  the  expenses  attending  them. 
"Walton,  who  first  commanded  the  forces  sent  into  the  eastern 
parts,  and  Westbrooke,  who  succeeded  him,  as  well  as  Penhal- 
low,  the  commander  of  the  Fort  at  Arrowsic,  were  New  Hamp 
shire  men ;  the  two  former  were  of  the  council.  A  declaration 
of  war  being  made,  the  enemy  were  expected  on  every  part  of 
the  frontiers ;  and  the  Assembly  were  obliged  to  concert  mea- 
sures for  their  security,  after  an  interval  of  peace  for  about  ten 
years. 

(1723.)  The  first  appearance  of  the  enemy  in  New  Hamp- 
shire was  at  Dover,  where  they  surprised  and  killed  Joseph 
Ham,  and  took  three  of  his  children ;  the  rest  of  the  family 
escaped  to  the  garrison.  Soon  after  they  waylaid  the  road,  and 
killed  Tristram  Heard.  Their  next  onset  was  at  Lamprey 
river,  where  they  killed  Aaron  Rawlins  and  one  of  his  children, 
taking  his  wife  and  two  children  captive.  This  Aaron  Rawlins 
(whose  wife  was  a  daughter  of  Edward  Taylor,  who  was  killed 
by  the  Indians  in  1704)  lived  upon  the .  plantation  left  by 
Taylor,  about  half  a  mile  west  from  Lamprey  river  landing,  at 
the  lower  Falls  on  Piscasick  river. 

The  next  spring,  1724,  the  Indians  killed  James  Nock,  one 
of  the  elders  of  the  church,  as  he  was  returning  on  horseback 
from  setting  his  beaver  traps  in  the  woods.  Soon  after  they 
appeared  at  Kingston,  where  they  took  Peter  Colcord  and 
Ephraim  Stevens,  and  two  children  of  Ebenezer  Stevens.  They 
were  pursued  by  scouts  from  Kingston  and  Londonderry,  but  in 
vain.  Colcord  made  his  escape  in  about  six  months,  and  re- 
ceived a  gratuity  of  ten  pounds  from  the  Assembly,  for  his 
"courage  and  ingenuity,  and  for  the  account  he  gave  of  the 
proceedings  of  the  enemy." 

On  a  sabbath  day  they  ambushed  the  road  at  Oyster  river, 
and  killed  George  Chesley,  and  mortally  wounded  Elizabeth 
Bumham,  as  they  were  returning  together  from  public  worship. 
In  a  few  days  more,  five  Indians  took  Thomas  Smith  and  John 
Carr,  at  Chester,  and  after  carrying  them  about  thirty  miles, 
bound  them  and  lay  down  to  sleep ;  the  captives  escaped,  and 
in  three  days  arrived  safe  at  a  garrison  in  Londonderry. 

The  settlements  at  Oyster  river  being  very  much  exposed,  a 


who. 


LOVEWELLS  WAR. 


95 


company  of  volunteers  under  the  command  of  Abraham  Ben- 
wick,  who  went  out  on  the  encouragement  offered  by  the  go- 
vernment for  scalps,  were  about  marching  to  make  discoveries. 
It  happened  that  Moses  Davis,  and  his  son  of  the  same  name, 
being  at  work  in  their  cornfield,  went  to  a  brook  to  drink, 
where  they  discovered  three  Indian  packs.  They  immediately 
gave  notice  of  this  discovery  to  the  volunteer  company,  and 
went  before  to  guide  them  to  the  spot.  The  Indians  had 
placed  themselves  in  ambush ;  and  the  unhappy  father  and  son 
were  both  killed.  The  company  then  fired,  killed  one,  and 
wounded  two  others,  who  made  their  escape,-  though  they  were 
pursued  and  tracked  by  their  blood  to  a  considerable  distance. 
Within  the  town  of  Dover  were  many  families  of  Quakers ; 
who,  scrupling  the  lawfulness  of  war,  could  not  be  persuaded 
to  use  any  means  for  their  defence,  though  equally  exposed 
with  their  neighbours .  to  an  enemy  who  made  no  distinction 
between  them.  One  of  these  people,  Ebenezer  Downs,  was 
taken  by  the  Indians,  and  was  grossly  insulted  and  abused 
by  them,  because  he  refused  to  dance  as  the  other  prisoners 
did,  for  the  diversion  of  their  savage  captors.  Another  of 
them,  John  Hanson,  who  lived  on  the  outside  of  the  town  in 
a  remote  situation,  could  not  be  persuaded  to  remove  to  a 
garrison,  though  he  had  a  large  family  of  children.  A  party 
of  thirteen  Indians,  called  French  Mohawks,  had  marked  his 
house  for  their  prey ;  and  lay  several  days  in  ambush,  waiting 
for  an  opportunity  to  assault  it.  While  Hanson  with  his  eldest 
daughter  were  gone  to  attend  the  weekly  meeting  of  Friends, 
and  his  two  eldest  sons  were  at  work  in  a  meadow  at  some 
distance,  the  Indians  entered  the  house,  killed  and  scalped  two 
small  children,  and  took  his  wife,  with  her  infant  of  fourteen 
days  old,  her  nurse,  two  daughters  and  a  son,  and  after  rifling 
the  house  carried  them  off.  This  was  done  so  suddenly  and 
secretly,  that  the  first  person  who  discovered  it  was  the  eldest 
daughter  at  her  return  from  the  meeting  before  her  father. 
Seeing  the  two  children  dead  at  the  door,  she  gave  a  shriek  of 
distress,  which  was  distinctly  heard  by  her  mother,  then  in  the 
hands  of  the  enemy  among  the  bushes,  and  by  her  brothers  in 
the  meadow.  The  people  being  alarmed,  went  in  pursuit ;  but 
the  Indians,  cautiously  avoiding  all  paths,  went  off  with  their 


96 


LOVEWELLS   WAR. 


captives  undiscovered.  They  were  all  sold  to  the  French  in 
Canada.  Hanson  went  the  next  spring  and  redeemed  his  wife, 
the  three  younger  children  and  the  nurse,  but  he  could  not 
obtain  the  elder  daughter  of  seventeen  years  old,  though  he  saw 
and  conversed  with  her.  He  also  redeemed  Ebenezer  Downs. 
He  made  a  second  attempt  in  1727,  but  died  at  Crown-point  on 
his  way  to  Canada.  The  girl  was  married  to  a  Frenchman, 
and  never  returned. 

These  and  other  insolencies  of  the  enemy  being  daily  perpe- 
trated on  the  frontiers,  caused  the  governments  to  resolve  on 
an  expedition  to  Norridgewog.  The  Captains  Moulton  and 
Harman,  both  of  York,  each  at  the  head  of  a  company  of  100 
men,  executed  their  orders  with  great  address.  They  com- 
pletely invested  and  surprised  that  village — killed  the  obnoxious 
Jesuit,  with  about  eighty  of  his  Indians — recovered  three  cap- 
tives— destroyed  the  chapel,  and  brought  away  the  plate  and 
furniture  of  the  altar,  and  the  devotional  flag,  as  trophies  of 
their  victory.  Ralle  was  then  in  the  68th  year  of  his  age, 
and  had  resided  in  his  mission  at  Norridgewog  26  years,  having 
before  spent  6  years  in  travelling  among  the  Indian  nations,  in 
the  interior  parts  of  America. 

The  parties  of  Indians  who  were  abroad,  continued  to  ravage 
the  frontiers.  Two  men  being  missing  from  Dunstable,  a  scout 
of  eleven  went  in  quest  of  them ;  they  were  fired  upon  by  thirty 
of  the  enemy,  and  nine  of  them  were  killed :  the  other  two 
made  their  escape,  though  one  of  them  was  badly  wounded. 
Afterwards  another  company  fell  into  their  ambush  and  engaged 
them,  but  the  enemy  being  superior  in  number  overpowered 
them,  killed  one  and  wounded  four,  the  rest  retreating.  At 
Kingston,  Jabez  Colman,  and  his  son  Joseph,  were  killed  as  they 
were  at  work  in  their  field.  The  success  of  the  forces  at  Nor- 
ridgewog, and  the  large  premium  ofiered  for  scalps,  having  in- 
duced several  volunteer  companies  to  go  out,  they  visited  one 
after  another  of  the  Indian  villages,  but  found  them  deserted. 
The  fate  of  Norridgewog  had  struck  such  terror  into  them, 
that  they  did  not  think  themselves  safe  at  any  of  their  former 
places  of  abode,  and  occupied  them  as  resting  places  only, 
when  they  were  scouting  or  hunting. 
One  of  these  volunteer  companies,  under  the  command  of 


LOVEWELLS  WAR. 


97 


Captain  John  Lovewell,  of  Dunstable,  was  groatly  diHtinguished, 
first  by  their  success  and  afterwards  by  their  miMfortunes. 
This  company  consisted  of  thirty :  at  their  lirnt  excursion  to 
the  northward  of  Winipiseogee  lake,  they  dJHCOvered  an  Indian 
wigwam,  in  which  there  were  a  man  and  a  boy.  They  killed 
and  scalped  the  man,  and  brought  the  lK)y  alive  to  Boston, 
where  they  received  the  reward  promised  by  law,  and  a  hand- 
some gratuity  besides. 

By  this  success  his  company  was  augmented  to  seventy. 
They  marched  again,  and  visiting  the  place  where  they  had 
killed  the  Indian,  found  his  body  as  they  had  l(?ft  it  two  months 
before.  (1725.)  Their  provision  falling  whort,  thirty  of  them 
were  dismissed  by  lot  and  returned.  Tha  remaining  forty 
continued  their  march  till  they  discovered  a  track,  which  they 
followed  till  they  saw  a  smoke  just  before  Minsct,  by  which 
they  judged  that  the  enemy  were  encamped  for  the  night. 
They  kept  themselves  concealed  till  after  midnight,  when  they 
silently  advanced,  and  discovered  ten  Indians  asleep  round  a 
fire  by  the  side  of  a  frozen  pond.  Lovewell  now  determined  to 
make  sure  work,  and  placing  his  men  conveniently,  ordered  part 
of  them  to  fire,  five  at  once,  as  quick  after  each  other  as  possible, 
and  another  part  to  reserve  their  fire  :  ho  gave  the  signal  by 
firing  his  own  gun,  which  killed  two  of  them ;  the  men  firing 
according  to  order,  killed  five  more  on  Iho  spot;  the  other  three 
starting  up  from  their  sleep,  two  of  them  were  immediately 
shot  dead  by  the  reserve;  the  other,  though  wounded,  at- 
tempted to  escape  by  crossing  the  pond,  but  was  seized  by  a  dog 
and  held  fast  till  they  killed  him.  Thus  in  a  few  minutes  the 
whole  company  was  destroyed,  and  some  attempt  against  the 
frontiers  of  New  Hampshire  prevented ;  for  these  Indians  were 
marching  from  Canada,  well  furnished  with  new  guns  and 
plenty  of  ammunition ;  they  had  also  a  number  of  spare  blankets, 
moccasins,  and  snow  shoes  for  the  accommodation  of  the  pri- 
soners, whom  they  expected  to  take,  and  were  within  two 
days'  march  of  the  frontiers.  The  pond  where  this  exploit  was 
performed  is  at  the  head  of  a  branch  of  Balmonfall  river,  in 
the  township  of  Wakefield,  and  has  ever  since  borne  the  name 
of  Lovewell's  pond.  The  action  was  spoken  of  by  elderly 
people,  at  a  distance  of  time,  with  an  air  of  exultation ;  and 


\ 


98 


lovewell's  war. 


considering  the  extreme  difficulty  of  finding  and  attacking 
Indians  in  the  woods,  and  the  judicious  manner  in  which  they 
were  so  completely  surprised,  it  was  a  capital  exploit. 

The  brave  company,  with  the  ten  scalps  stretched  on  hoops, 
and  elevated  on  poles,  entered  Dover  in  triumph,  and  proceeded 
thence  to  Boston ;  where  they  received  the  bounty  of  one  hun- 
dred pounds  for  each,  out  of  the  public  treasury. 

Encouraged  by  this  success,  Lovewell  marched  a  third  time ; 
intending  to  attack  the  villages  of  Pigwacket,  on  the  upper  part 
of  the  river  Saco,  which  had  been  the  residence  of  a  formidable 
tribe,  and  which  they  still  occasionally  inhabited.     His  com- 
pany at  this  time  consisted  of  forty-six,  including  a  chaplain 
and  surgeon :  two  of  them  proving  lame,  returned :  another 
falling  sick,  they  halted,  and  built  a  stockade  fort  on  the  west 
side  of  great  Ossapy  pond ;  partly  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
sick  man,  and  partly  for  a  place  of  retreat  in  case  of  any  mis- 
fortune.    Here  the  surgeon  was  left  with  the  sick  man,  and 
eight  of  the  company  for  a  guard.     The  number  was  now  re- 
duced to  thirty-four.     Pursuing  their  march  to  the  northward, 
they  came  to  a  pond,  about  twenty-two  miles  distant,  in  a  line 
from  the  fort,  and  encamped  by  the  side  of  it.     Early  the  next 
morning,  while  at  their  devotions,  they  heard  the  report  of  a 
gun,  and  discovered  a  single  Indian,  standing  on  a  point  of  land 
which  runs  into  the  pond,  more  than  a  mile  distant.    They 
had  been  alarmed  the  preceding  night  by  noises  round  their 
camp,  which  they  imagined  were  made  by  Indians,  and  this 
opinion  was  now  strengthened.     They  suspected  that  the  In- 
dian was  placed  there  to  decoy  them,  and  that  a  body  of  the 
enemy  was  in  their  front.     A  consultation  being  held,  they  de- 
termined to  march  forward,  and  by  encompassing  the  pond,  to 
gain  the  place  where  the  Indian  stood ;  and  that  they  might  be 
ready  for  action,  they  disencumbered  themselves  of  their  packs, 
and    eft  them,  without  a  guard,  at  the  north-east  end  of  the 
pcmd,  in  a  pitch  pine  plain^  where  the  trees  were  thin  and  the 
brakes,  at  that  time  of  the  year,  small.     It  happened  that 
Lovewell's  march  had  crossed  a  carrying-place,  by  which  two 
parties  of  Indians,  consisting  of  forty-one  men,  commanded  by 
Paugus  and  Wahwa,  who  had  been  scouting  down  Saco  river, 
were  retuniing  to  the  lower  village  of  Pigwacket,  distant  about 


a  mile  ai 

track,  th 

removed 

be  less  t 

ambush, 

stood  on 

path,  me 

and  woi 

tenant  ^ 

scalp.     ' 

where  tl 

tor  them 

yelling. 

about  te 

killed  or 

woundec 

number, 

ing  theii 

of  rock 

standing 

their  st£ 

time  un 

was  pa 

the  pon 

and  flar 

they  mj 

pany  m 

discreti' 

escape 

Wymai 

nance, 

lain,  Jc 

tally  V 

holding 

by  thei 

yield ; 

was  th 

night, 

their 


lovewell's  war. 


09 


a  mile  and  a  half  from  this  pond.  Having  fallen  on  Lovewell's 
track,  they  followed  it  till  they  came  to  the  packs,  which  they 
removed ;  and  counting  them,  found  the  number  of  his  men  to 
be  less  than  their  own :  they  therefore  placed  themselves  in 
ambush,  to  attack  them  on  their  return.  The  Indian,  who  had 
stood  on  the  point,  and  was  returning  to  the  village  by  another 
path,  met  our  party,  and  received  their  fire,  which  he  returned, 
and  wounded  Lovewell  and  another  with  small  shot.  Lieu- 
tenant Wyman,  firing  again,  killed  him,  and  they  took  his 
scalp.  Seeing  no  other  enemy,  they  returned  to  the  place 
where  they  had  left  their  packs,  and  while  they  were  looking 
for  them,  the  Indians  rose,  and  ran  toward  them  with  a  horrid 
yelling.  A  smart  firing  commenced  on  both  sides,  it  being  now 
about  ten  of  the  clock.  Captain  Lovewell  and  eight  more  were 
killed  on  the  spot.  Lieutenant  Farwell,  and  two  others,  were 
wounded ;  several  of  the  Indians  fell ;  but,  being  superior  in 
number,  they  endeavoured  to  surround  the  party,  who,  perceiv- 
ing their  intention,  retreated — hoping  to  be  sheltered  by  a  point 
of  rock  which  ran  into  the  pond,  and  a  few  large  pine  trees 
standing  on  a  sandy  beach.  In  this  forlorn  place  they  took 
their  station.  On  their  right  was  the  mouth  of  a  brook,  at  that 
time  unfordable;  on  their  left  was  the  rocky  point;  their  front 
was  partly  covered  by  a  deep  bog,  and  partly  uncovered,  and 
the  pond  was  in  their  rear.  The  enemy  galled  them  in  front 
and  flank,  and  had  them  so  completely  in  their  power,  that  had 
they  made  a  prudent  use  of  their  advantage,  the  whole  com- 
pany must  either  have  been  killed,  or  obliged  to  surrender  at 
discretion — being  destitute  of  a  mouthful  of  sustenance,  and  an 
escape  being  impracticable.  Under  the  conduct  of  Lieutenant 
Wyman  they  kept  up  their  fire,  and  showed  a  resolute  counte- 
nance, all  the  remainder  of  the  day;  during  which  their  chap- 
lain, Jonathan  Frie,  Ensign  Bobbins,  and  one  more,  were  mor- 
tally wounded.  The  Indians  invited  them  to  surrender,  by 
holding  up  ropes  to  them,  and  endeavoured  to  intimidate  them 
by  their  hideous  yells ;  but  they  determined  to  die  rather  than 
yield ;  and  by  their  well-directed  fire,  the  number  of  the  savages 
was  thinned,  and  their  cries  became  fainter,  till,  just  before 
night,  they  quitted  their  advantageous  ground,  carrying  off 
their  killed  and  wounded,  and  leaving  the  dead  bodies  of  Love- 


100 


lovewell's  war. 


well  und  his  men  unscalped.  The  shattered  remnant  of  this 
brave  company,  collecting  themselves  together,  found  three  of 
their  number  unable  to  move  from  the  spot,  eleven  wounded, 
but  able  to  march,  and  nine  who  had  received  no  hurt.  It  was 
melancholy  to  leave  their  dying  companions  behind,  but  there 
was  no  possibility  of  removing  them.  One  of  them,  Ensign 
Robins,  desired  them  to  lay  his  gun  by  him  charged,  that  if  the 
Indians  should  return  before  his  death,  he  might  be  able  to  kill 
one  more.  After  the  rising  of  the  moon,  they  quitted  the  fatal 
spot,  and  directed  their  march  toward  the  fort  where  the  surgeon 
and  guard  had  been  left.  To  their  great  surprise  they  found 
it  deserted.  In  the  beginning  of  the  action,  one  man  (whose 
name  has  not  been  thought  worthy  to  be  transmitted  to  pos- 
terity) quitted  the  field,  and  fled  to  the  fort ;  where,  in  the 
style  of  Job's  messengers,  he  informed  them  of  LovewcH's  death, 
and  the  defeat  of  the  whole  company ;  upon  which  they  made 
the  best  of  their  way  home ;  leaving  a  quantity  of  bread  and 
pork,  which  was  a  seasonable  relief  to  the  retreating  survivors. 
From  this  place  they  endeavoured  to  get  home.  Lieutenant 
Farwell,  the  chaplain  (who  had  the  journal  of  the  march  in  his 
pocket),  and  one  more,  perished  in  the  woods,  for  want  of  dress- 
ing for  their  wounds.  The  others,  after  enduring  the  most 
severe  hardships,  came  in  one  after  another,  and  were  not  only 
received  with  joy,  but  were  recompensed  for  their  valour  and 
sufferings ;  and  a  generous  provision  was  made  for  the  widows 
and  children  of  the  slain. 

A  party  from  the  frontiers  of  New  Hampshire  were  ordered 
out  to  bury  the  dead ;  but,  by  some  mistake,  did  not  reach  the 
place  of  action.  Colonel  Tyng,  with  a  company  from  Dunstable, 
went  to  the  spot,  and  having  found  the  bodies  of  twelve,  buried 
them,  and  carved  their  names  on  the  trees  where  the  battle 
was  fought.  At  a  little  distance  he  found  three  Indian  graves, 
which  he  opened ;  one  of  the  bodies  was  known  to  be  their 
warrior  Paugus.  He  also  observed  tracks  of  blood  on  the 
ground,  to  a  great  distance  from  the  scene  of  action.  It  was 
remarked,  that  a  week  before  this  engagement  happened,  it  had 
been  reported  in  Portsmouth  at  the  distance  of  eighty  miles, 
with  but  little  variation  from  the  truth.  Such  incidents  were 
not  uncommon,  and  could  scarcely  deserve  notice,  if  they  did 


LOVEWELLS  WAR. 


101 


not  indicate  that  a  taste  for  the  marvellous  was  not  extinguished 
in  the  minds  of  the  most  sober  and  rational. 

Tliis  was  one  of  the  most  fierce  and  obstinate  battles  which 
bad  been  fought  with  the  Indians.  They  had  not  only  the  ad- 
vantage of  numbers,  but  of  placing  themselves  in  ambush,  and 
waiting  with  deliberation  the  moment  of  attack.  These  cir- 
cumstances gave  them  a  degree  of  ardour  and  impetuosity. 
Lovewell  and  his  men,  though  disappointed  of  meeting  the 
enemy  in  their  front,  expected,  and  determined,  to  fight.  The 
fall  of  their  commander,  and  more  than  one  quarter  of  their 
number,  in  the  first  onset,  was  greatly  discouraging ;  but  they 
knew  that  the  situation  to  which  they  were  reduced,  and  their 
distance  from  the  frontiers,  cut  off  all  hope  of  safety  from  tlight. 
(n  these  circumstances,  prudence  as  well  as  valour  dictated  a 
continuance  of  the  engagement,  and  a  refusal  to  surrender,  until 
the  enemy,  awed  by  their  brave  resistance,  and  weakened  by 
their  own  loss,  yielded  them  the  honour  of  the  field.  After 
this  encounter  the  Indians  resided  no  more  at  Pigwacket  till 
the  peace,  which  was  concluded  after  long  negotiations. 


1 


;)H  , 


13 


• 

t 

• 

V 

, 

\«?>^  ? 

few.'m 

^^s  ^ 

^^^^^^^^ 

i'^ynita 

b^j 

l^sK^^^^^ 

^ 

CHAPTER  IX.'  ">"     '  . 

THE   FRENCH    WAR   OF  1746  TO  1748.  .-,    . 

T  was  the  misfortune  of  the  colonies, 
that,  when  the  mothercountry  became 
involved  in  war  with  the  European 
powers,  they  were  exposed  to  the 
attacks  of  active  enemies,  and  yet 
were  left  to  provide  for  their  own 
defence.  In  1744,  a  war  which  had 
been  waged  between  t.Great  Britain 
and  Spain  was  extended  to  France,  and  of  course^  the  contest 
brought  the  French  and  English  colonies  into: oonfliot.'  An 
Indian  war  was  a  necessary  consequence  of  a  war  with  France. 
The  scene  of  the  opening  of  both  was  in  Nova  Scotia.  >.  i 

In  the  year  1745,  a  daring  enterprise  was  projected  against 
Louisbourg,  a  strong  fortress  belonging  to  the  French,  on  the 
island  of  Cape  Breton.  This  was  proposed  by  Shirley,  governor 
of  Massachusetts,  and  approved  of  by  the  general  court  of  that 
province.  Louisbourg  was  the  Dunkirk  of  North  America. 
Five  millions  of  dollars  had  been  employed  in  its  fortifications. 
It  was  of  great  importance  to  France,  and  also  to  England,  me« 

(102) 


\ 


^     \ 


)  1 


X-' 


il- 


i^i;  *-, 


t 

I 

*1 


/»^J. 


THE    FRKNCII    WAR  OF    1745   TO   1748. 


106 


'      \ 


ditating,  nn  buth  Uiil,  tliu  extension  uf  their  American  [X)f*H(>ri- 
Hions.  Upward«  of  five  thouHand  men  were  raised  in  the  Now 
England  colonieft,  and  put  under  the  command  of  Will'am 
PepiKjrell,  a  re»i)ectable  merchant  in  Massachusetts.  Tliis 
force  arrived  at  Canso,  early  in  April,  1745.  A  British  marine 
force,  from  the  West  Indies,  commanded  by  Commodore  War- 
ren, acted  in  concert  with  these  land  forces.  The  siege  was 
conducted  with  such  spirit  and  address,  that  on  the  17th  of 
June  the  fortress  capifulated.  The  reduction  of  Louisbourg,  by 
colonial  troops,  gave  to  European  powers,  enlarged  ideas  of  the 
value  of  American  possessions.  The  war  henceforward  l)ecamo 
more  important.  Great  projects  occupied  the  attention  of  the 
belligerent  powers.  The  recovery  of  Louisbourg,  the  reduction 
of  Nova  Scotia,  the  total  devastation  of  the  sea  coast,  and  even 
the  complete  conquest  of  New  England,  were  contemplated  by 
France.  With  this  view,  a  powerful  lleet,  and  an  army  of 
three  thousand  men,  under  the  command  of  Duke  d'Anville, 
sailed,  in  1740,  for  the  American  coast.  There  was  no  British 
fleet  at  hand,  to  resist  this  force.  The  distress  of  the  colonics 
was  great.  Their  apprehensions  of  danger  were  excited  to  a 
high  })itcli ;  when  Providence  wrought  their  deliverance.  The? 
French  shi[)s  were  visited  by  such  an  awful  sickness,  that  thir- 
teen hundred  of  their  crews  died  at  sea.  Their  whole  fleet  was 
dispersed  l)y  a  violent  tempest.  Some  of  the  ships  were  lost. 
Those  which  esca[)ed  returned  singly  to  France.  The  whole 
expedition  was  dcfoated,  witliout  the  firing  of  a  single  gun. 
Great  Britain,  not  less  sanguine,  counted  on  the  expulsion  of  the 
French  from  the  continent  of  America;  and  that  Canada, 
with  the  adjacent  French  possessions,  would  soon  be  British 
provinces.  Preparations  were  made  for  executing  these  gigantic 
projects ;  but  they  came  to  nothing.  No  further  important 
transaction  took  place  in  America,  till  the  war  ended,  by  th<^ 
peace  of  Aix  la  Chapelle,  in  1748.  By  this,  it  was  stipulated, 
that  all  conquests,  made  during  the  war,  should  be  restored. 
The  British  colonists  had  the  mortification  to  see  Louisbourp 
returned  to  its  former  owners,  the  French. 

i2 


CHAPTER  X. 


THE   SEVEN  TEARS'  WAR. 


HE  treaty  of  Aix  la  Chapelle  did  not  settle 
any  of  the  points  in  dispute  between  France 
and  England.  It  was  a  mere  truce,  during 
which  each  party  gathered  new  strength  for  a  more  persevering 
contest.  The  boundaries  of  the  British  empire  in  North  America, 
and  the  disputed  property  of  Tobago  and  other  islands  in  the 
West  Indies,  were  left  to  be  settled  by  the  negotiation  of  com- 
missaries,— a  procedure  in  which  it  is  easy  for  either  party,  by 
cunning  and  chicanery,  to  perplex  the  discussion,  and  inde- 
finitely to  protract  its  issue.  This  policy  the  French  were  fully 
prepared  to  pursue ;  and  in  unison  with  it,  they  pushed  with 
redoubled  vigour  their  system  of  territorial  encroachment.  Even 
previous  to  the  appointment  of  commissaries  on  either  side, 
and  very  soon  after  the  conclusion  of  the  peace,  they  attempted 
to  make  an  establishment  in   Tobago;   but,  warned  by  the 

(106) 


THE  SEVEN   TEARS     >7AR. 


107 


r  \ 


violent  expression  of  indignation  which  was  provoked  from  the 
merchants  of  Britain  by  this  measure,  they  receded  from  a  pre- 
tension which  seemed  likely  too  soon  to  precipitate  matters  to 
an  extremity,  and,  on  the  first  complaint  of  the  British  govern- 
ment, consented  to  abandon  the  undertaking.  Their  conduct 
on  this  occasion,  which  admits  of  no  cavil  or  disguise,  justifies 
a  presumption  very  unfavourable  to  their  good  faith  in  the 
other  contemporary  collisions  and  disputes,  of  which  the  merits, 
whether  by  artifice  or  accident,  have  been  involved  in  greater 
doubt  and  obscurity.  Eagerly  resuming  possession  of  Cape 
Breton,  restored  to  them  by  the  treaty  of  peace,  the  French 
speedily  perceived  that  some  of  the  advantages  which  they 
might  hope  to  derive  from  this  possession  were  likely  to  be 
counteracted  by  the  establishment  of  the  colonists  despatched 
from  Britain  under  Comwallis  to  Nova  Scotia;  and  though 
they  had  no  pretence  for  disputing  the  legitimacy  of  this  enter- 
prise, they  employed  the  most  active  endeavours  to  render  it  in- 
effectual. Their  Indian  allies  attacked  the  English  settlements 
in  Nova  Scotia;  and,  in  the  commencement  of  the  year  1750,  a 
band  of  two  thousand  five  hundred  French  troops,  detached  by 
thegovernor  of  Canada,  and  reinforced  by  Indian  auxilaries,  took 
possession  of  the  whole  tract  of  country  from  Chignecto,  along 
the  north  side  of  the  Bay  of  Fundy,  to  Kennebec  river,  which 
they  declared  to  be  still  the  property  of  the  Most  Christian 
King,  and  to  which  they  invited  all  the  French  Neutrals,  as 
they  were  called,  to  repair  from  the  district  confessedly  ceded 
to  Britain.  Various  skirmishes  ensued  between  the  forces  of 
Comwallis  and  the  French  and  Indians ;  a  number  of  forts  were 
built,  and  some  were  taken  and  destroyed  on  both  sides ;  but 
the  French  continued  to  maintain  their  position  and  fortify 
their  interest.  Comwallis  urgently  solicited  assistance  from 
the  government  of  Massachusetts,  and  would  probably  have 
obtained  it,  but  for  the  absence  of  the  popular  and  enterprising 
Shirley,  who  had  repaired  to  Europe  in  order  to  act  as  one  of 
the  commissaries  of  Britain  in  the  approaching  discussions  with 
France.  Spencer  Phipps,  the  lieutenant-governor,  whose  influ- 
ence was  not  proportioned  to  his  merit,  recommended  an  expedi- 
tion to  Nova  Scotia ;  but  the  Assembly  declared  that  their  own 
province  was  likely  to  need  all  its  forces  for  its  own  protection 


They  had  just  received  intelHgence  of  an  encroachment  on  tho 
territory  of  Massachusetts,  by  a  settlement  which  the  French 
were  reported  to  have  commenced  on  the  river  Lechock,  about 
five  leagues  eastward  of  Penobscot ;  and  Clinton,  the  governor 
of  New  York,  had  communicated  to  them  the  alarming  tidings, 
that  the  French  authorities  in  Canada  were  diligently  endeav- 
ouring to  seduce  the  Six  Nations  from  the  British  interest,  and 
had  urged  the  New  England  governments  to  unite  their  coun- 
sels with  his,  in  opposition  to  these  dangerous  intrigues.  Thus, 
before  the  peace  announced  by  the  treaty  of  Aix-la-Chapelle 
was  fully  established,  the  French  engaged  in  measures  which 
plainly  tended  to  a  renewal  of  the  war. 

New  and  more  important  subjects  of  dispute  now  arose.  The 
extension  of  the  Virginian  settlements  to  the  banks  of  the  river 
Ohio,  and  especially  the  occupation  of  a  part  of  this  region  by 
the  English  Ohio  Company,  were  calculated  to  bring  to  a  de- 
cisive test  the  long  prevalent  suspicion  of  the  purpose  of  the 
French  to  render  the  line  of  forts  which  they  had  been  erecting 
from  Canada  to  Louisiana,  subservient  not  merely  to  the  com- 
munication between  their  own  colonies,  but  to  the  confinement 
of  the  British  settlements,  and  the  obstruction  of  their  advances 
into  the  interior  of  the  country.  Nor  did  the  French  hesitate 
a  moment  to  afford  unequivocal  proof  of  their  entire  purpose, 
and  to  resist  the  first  attempt  of  their  rivals  to  overleap  the 
boundaries  within  Avhich  they  were  resolved  to  enclose  them. 
A  menace  of  the  governor  of  Canada,  that  he  would  treat  as 
enemies  any  of  the  subjects  of  Britain  who  should  settle  near 
the  Ohio,  or  presume  even  to  trade  with  the  Indian  inhabitants 
of  this  region,  having  been  disregarded,  was  promptly  enforced 
by  the  seizure  of  a  number  of  British  traders,  who  were  carried 
as  prisoners  to  a  fort  which  the  French  were  erecting  at  Presque 
Isle,  on  Lake  Erie.  Other  British  traders,  and  servants  of  the 
Ohio  Company,  retreated  in  alarm  from  the  stations  which  they 
had  begun  to  occupy;  and  the  French,  perceiving  that  the 
critical  juncture  was  come,  when  their  ambitious  system  of 
policy,  now  plainly  disclosed,  must  be  either  defended  by  force 
or  completely  abandoned,  proceeded  with  augmented  diligence 
to  supply  whatever  was  yet  defective  in  its  subsidiary  arrange- 
ments and  preparations.     A  fort  was  build  at  Niagara,  within 


^»%^VfA'I'f/?P. 


BMGLISH  TRADINO  WITH  TBI  IHDIAKS. 


14 


(109) 


/ 


, 


THE  SLV^EN  YEARS'  WAR. 


Ill 


the  dominions  of  the  Indian  allies  of  Britain ;  and,  in  addition 
to  the  fort  on  Lake  Erie,  two  others  wore  Ijnilt  at  commanding 
positions  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio.  ThuB,  at  Icng'S.  the 
French  succeeded  in  completing  their  long-projected  communi- 
cation between  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi  and  the  river  St. 
Lawrence. 

The  English  had  established  a  trading-post  upon  the  Miami, 
in  the  country  of  the  tribe  called  Twightwces.  Early  in  1752, 
a  party  of  French  soldiers,  who  had  boon  sent  to  guard  the 
Ohio,  hearing  of  this  trading-post,  camo  to  the  Twightwees  and 
demanded  the  traders  as  unauthorized  intruders  upon  French 
lands.  The  Indians  refused  to  surrender  their  friends.  The 
French  then  obtained  the  aid  of  tlio  Ottawos  and  Cliippewas, 
and  attacked  the  station.  After  a  sovoro  conflict,  in  which 
fourteen  of  the  natives  were  killed  and  others  wounded,  the 
post  was  carried  and  destroyed,  and  the  traders  taken  to  Canada 
as  prisoners.  Such  was  the  fate  of  the  firnt  British  settlement 
upon  the  Ohio,  of  which  we  have  any  record. 

Blood  had  now  been  shed,  and  both  parties  became  more  de- 
termined to  maintain  their  respective  claims.  On  the  9  th  of 
June,  1752,  a  conference  was  held  at  Logstown,  about  17  miles 
below  Pittsburgh,  upon  the  north  side  of  the  Ohio,  between 
commissioners  from  Virginia  and  the  Indians,  for  the  settlement 
of  all  difficulties  concerning  the  sale  of  the  western  lands. 
After  some  negotiation,  the  commissioners  obtained  the  consent 
of  the  red  men  to  a  treaty  very  advantageous  to  the  English. 
But  the  French  knew  how  to  manage  the  Indians,  so  as  render 
the  treaty  a  mere  farce. 

Having  no  satisfactory  information  in  regard  to  the  numbers 
and  movements  of  the  French  forces  upon  the  frontier.  Gover- 
nor Dinwiddle,  of  Virginia,  determined  to  send  a  messenger  to 
procure  the  desired  knowledge.  He  selected  Major  George 
Washington  (afterwards  so  illustrious),  then  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  but  distinguished  for  courage,  fortitude,  and  discretion, 
and  inured  to  the  hardships  of  the  wilderness.  With  Christo- 
pher Gist  for  his  guide,  Washington  left  Wills*  Creek,  where 
Cumberland  now  is,  on  the  15th  of  November,  1753,  and  on 
the  22d  of  the  same  month,  reached  the  Monongahela,  about 
ten  miles  above  the  fork.    Thence  he  went  to  Logstown  and 


112 


THE   SEVEN   YEARS    WAR. 


I 


held  a  conference  with  the  Indian  chiefs  of  that  neighbourhood. 
Finding  that  nothing  could  be  done  with  these  people,  Wash 
ington  left  Tjogstown  on  the  30th  of  November,  and  travelling 
amid  the  severities  of  the  season,  reached  Venango,  an  old  In- 
dian town  at  the  mouth  of  French  creek,  on  the  4th  of  the  next 
month.  Here  he  had  an  interview  with  the  French,  and  in 
consequence  of  their  arts,  nearly  lost  those  Indians  who  had 
accompanied  him.  Leaving  Venango,  the  young  messenger 
proceeded  to  the  Fort  at  the  head  of  French  creek.  Here  he 
delivered  Governor  Dinwiddle's  letter,  received  an  answer,  made 
accurate  observations,  and  on  the  16th,  set  out  upon  his  return, 
having  much  difficulty  in  persuading  his  Indians  to  accompany 
him.  From  Venango,  Washington  and  Gist  went  on  foot,  leav- 
ing their  Indian  friends  with  the  French.  During  this  return 
journey,  the  messenger  and  his  guide  had  to  contend  with  great 
difficulties  and  endure  extreme  hardships,  in  consequence  of 
the  character  of  the  route,  the  uncertain  disposition  of  the  In- 
dians, and  the  severity  of  the  winter.     In  crossing  the  Alleghany 


WASIll.NtiTU.V    CHOSDING   TUB   ALLEQBANT. 


upon  a  raft,  they  were  thrown  into  the  water  by  the  rushing 
of  the  loose  ice,  and  made  a  narrow  escape  from  drowning  and 
from  Wng  frozen  to  death.  In  spite  of  all,  however,  they 
reached  WilFs  creek  on  the  6th  of  January,  safe  and  sound.* 

*  Perkins'  Annals  of  the  West 


THE   SEVEN   TEARS    WAR. 


113 


A  journal,  in  which  Washington  recorded  the  particulars  of  his 
journey  and  the  fruits  of  his  observation,  was  published  soon 
after,  and  impressed  his  countrymen  with  a  high  respect  for  the 
solidity  of  his  judgment,  and  the  calm,  determined  fortitude 
of  his  character. 

Governor  Dinwiddle,  finding  that  nothing  was  to  be  gained 
by  amicable  negotiation,  projected  the  construction  of  forts  at 
^^rious  places  which  had  been  surveyed  and  selected  by  Wash- 
mgton ;  and  the  Assembly  agreeing  to  defray  the  expense  of 
these  operations,  materials  were  procured  and  the  works  com- 
menced without  delay.  Unfortunately,  no  means  were  taken 
to  gain  the  consent  of  the  natives  to  this  measure,  which  ac- 
cordingly served  only  to  increase  the  jealousy  and  malevolence 
with  which  they  had  begun  to  regard  the  English.  A  regiment 
was  raised  at  the  same  time  by  the  Virginian  government,  and 
Washington,  who  was  its  lieutenant-colonel,  marched  with  two 
companies,  in  advance  of  the  main  body,  to  the  Great  Meadows, 
situated  Avithin  the  disputed  territory.  [April,  1754.]  Here 
he  learned  from  some  friendly  Indians,  that  the  French,  with  a 
force  of  six  hundred  men  and  eighteen  pieces  of  cannon,  having 
attacked  and  destroyed  a  fort  which  the  Virginians  had  been 
erecting,  were  themselves  engaged  in  completing  another  fort 
at  the  confluence  of  the  Alleghany  and  Monongahela,  one  of 
the  spots  which  was  especially  recommended  in  his  own  journal 
to  the  occupation  of  his  countrymen ;  and  that  a  detachment 
of  French  troops  from  this  place  was  then  on  its  march  towards 
the  Great  Meadows,  and  had  encamped  for  the  night  in  the 
bosom  of  a  retired  valley  at  a  short  distance.  Convinced  that 
this  was  a  hostile  movement,  Washington  availed  himself  of 
the  proffered  guidance  of  the  Indians,  and,  advancing  with  his 
troops  on  a  dark  and  rainy  night,  effectually  surprised  the 
French  encampment.  The  Virginians,  rousing  the  enemy  by  a 
sudden  discharge  of  firearms,  completely  disconcerted  them  by 
rushing  forward  to  close  attack,  and  compelled  them  instantly 
to  surrender. 

Washington,  after  this  success,  erected  at  the  Great  Meadows 
a  small  stockade  fort,  which  received  the  name  of  Fort  Neces- 
sity, and  then  advanced  with  his  troops,  which,  by  the  accession 
of  two  companies,  one  from  New  York  and  the  other  from 

K 


114 


THE    SEV¥N    YEARS     WAR. 


fl  ' 


I 

I 


f  ii 


North  Carolina,  now  amounted  to  four  hundred  men,  towards 
the  new  French  fort,  called  Duquesne,  with  the  intention  of  dis- 
lodging the  enemy.  But  learning  on  his  march  that  the  French 
had  been  reinforced  and  were  approaching  with  a  great  body  ot 
Indian  auxiliaries  to  attack  him,  he  retreated  to  Fort  Necessity, 
and  endeavoured  to  strengthen  its  defences  by  the  construction 
of  a  ditch  around  the  stockade.  Before  his  operation  was  com- 
pleted, the  fort  was  attacked,  on  the  4th  of  July,  by  a  very 
superior  force,  under  the  command  of  De  Villiers.  The  garrison 
made  a  vigorous  defence  from  ten  in  the  morning  till  a  late 
hour  at  night,  when  De  Villiers  having  sounded  a  parley  and 
tendered  a  capitulation,  they  at  first  refused,  but  finally  con- 
sented, to  surrender,  or,  more  properly  speaking,  to  evacuate 
the  fort,  on  condition  that  they  .sliould  be  allowed  to  march  out 
with  the  honours  of  war,  to  retain  their  arms  and  baggage,  and 
to  retire  without  molestation  into  the  inhabited  parts  of  Virginia, 
— and  that  the  French  themselves,  instead  of  advancing  farther 
at  present,  or  even  retaining  the  evacuated  fort,  should  retreat  to 
their  previous  station  at  Monongnhela.  Fifty-eight  of  the 
Virginians,  and  two  hundred  of  the  French,  were  killed  and 
wounded  in  the  encounter.  Such  a  capitulation  was  by  no 
means  calculated  either  to  damp  the  spirit  of  the  Virginians  or 
to  depress  the  reputation  of  their  commander.  It  was  violated, 
liowever,  with  unscrupulous  barbarity  by  the  Indians  who 
(vere  united  to  the  forces  of  De  Villiers,  and  who,  hovering 
round  the  Virginians  during  the  whole  of  their  retreat,  harassed 
them  with  frequent  attacks,  and  killed  and  wounded  a  con- 
siderable number  of  them.  At  the  close  of  this  unsuccessful 
expedition,  the  Virginian  Assembly,  with  equal  justice  and 
magnanimity,  expressed  by  a  vote  of  thanks  its  approbation  of 
the  conduct  of  Washington  and  his  troops. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  this  year,  and  before  the  expedition 
from  Virginia  to  the  Great  Meadows,  the  British  ministers 
signified  to  the  provincial  governments  the  desire  of  the  king 
that  they  should  oppose  the  French  encroachments  by  force 
of  arras ;  togetlier  with  a  recommendation  from  his  Majesty 
that  they  should  send  delegates  to  a  general  convention  at 
Albany,  both  in  order  to  form  a  league  with  the  Six  Nations, 
and  to  concert  among  themselves  a  plan  of  united  operations 


nies. 


THE  SEVEN  TEARS*  WAB. 


116 


and  defence  against  the  common  enemy.  Seven  of  the  colo- 
nies, consisting  of  Maryland,  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  and  the 
New  England  States,  agreed  to  comply  with  this  recommenda- 
tion ;  and  the  Assembly  of  Massachusetts  at  the  same  tune 
(April  10, 1754)  presented  an  address  to  Governor  Shirley,  de- 
siring him  "  to  pray  his  Majesty  that  a£fairs  which  relate  to 
the  Six  Nations  and  their  alUes  may  be  put  under  such  general 
direction  as  his  Majesty  shall  judge  proper;  and  that  the  several 
governments  may  be  obliged  to  bear  their  proportions  of  defend- 
ing his  Majesty's  territories  against  the  encroachments  of  the 
French  and  the  ravages  and  incursions  of  the  Indians."  Shir- 
ley, sensible  probably  of  the  jealousy  which  any  measure 
founded  on  this  suggestion  would  provoke  among  the  colonists 
in  general,  unless  it  originated  with  themselves,  proposed  to 
the  governors  of  the  several  colonies,  that  the  delegates  elected 
to  the  convention  should  be  authorized  by  their  constituents  to 
deliberate  on  a  plan  of  united  operation  of  all  the  States  for 
their  common  safety  and  defence.  Instructions  to  this  eflfect 
were  accordingly  communicated  to  the  delegates,  who,  assem- 
bling at  Albany  in  the  month  of  June,  were  met  by  a  numerous 
deputation  from  the  tribes  of  the  Six  Nations.  After  an  ex- 
planatory and  pacific  treaty  with  the  Indians,  who  very  willingly 
accepted  the  presents  that  were  tendered  to  them,  but  yet 
plainly  betrayed  by  their  negligent  demeanour  the  success  with 
which  the  French  had  intrigued  to  weaken  their  regard  for 
the  English, — the  convention  undertook  the  more  important 
subject  which  was  committed  to  its  deUberations ;  and  it  was 
unanimously  resolved  that  a  union  of  the  colonies  was  essential 
to  the  general  safety,  and  ought  to  be  forthwith  accomplished. 
But  here  the  unanimity  of  the  delegates  ended. 

The  British  ministers,  on  receiving  intelligence  of  the  defeat 
of  Washington,  and  of  the  establishment  of  French  posts  on  the 
Ohio,  perceived  plainly  that  a  war  between  France  and  England 
had  begun.  Even  with  a  view  to  the  speedy  restoration  of 
peace,  it  was  expedient  that  they  should  exert  more  vigour  and 
promptitude  of  hostiUty,  and  demonstrate  more  active  and  de- 
termined concern  for  the  dignity  of  the  British  empire  and  the 
safety  of  its  colonial  adjuncts  or  dependencies.  Finding  that 
their  complaints  to  the  court  of  Versailles  were  answered  only 


116 


THE  SEVEN  TEARS    WAR. 


i  t>< 


If  ■■:• 


by  a  repetition  of  former  evasions,  and  learning  that  the  French 
were  making  active  preparation  for  the  enlargement  of  their 
naval  and  military  force  in  America,  they  determined  to  send 
a  detachment  of  the  standing  army  maintained  in  England,  to 
the  defence  of  the  British  possessions  and  pretensions  in  the 
same  quarter.  In  conformity  with  this  determination,  and  early 
in  the  following  year  (January,  1755),  General  Braddock  was 
despatched  from  Ireland  with  two  regiments  of  infantry  com- 
manded by  Halket  and  Dunbar,  which  were  destined  to  the 
service  of  America,  and  especially  to  the  protection  of  the  Vir- 
ginian frontier.  On  the  arrival  of  this  armament  at  its  desti- 
nation, the  provinces  seemed  to  forget  alike  their  disputes  with 
each  other  and  their  jealousies  of  the  parent  state,  and  a  vigor- 
ous offensive  campaign  against  the  French  was  projected.  A 
convention  of  the  provincial  governors,  at  the  request  of  the 
British  commander,  assembled  at  Annapolis,  in  Maryland,  to 
settle  the  plan  of  military  operations,  and  resolved  that  three 
simultaneous  expeditions  should  be  undertaken.  The  first, 
directed  against  Fort  Duquesne,  was  to  be  conducted  by  Brad- 
dock  with  his  British  troops ;  the  second,  which  was  to  attempt 
the  reduction  of  the  French  fort  at  Niagara,  was  committed  to 
the  American  regulars  and  Indians,  commanded  by  Governor 
Shirley,  who  now  received  the  rank  of  a  British  general  from 
the  king ;  and  the  third,  an  expedition  against  Crown  Point, 
was  to  be  undertaken  by  militia  drawn  from  the  northern  co- 
lonies. 

The  French  court,  apprised  of  Braddock's  departure  for 
America,  now  made  one  more  attempt  to  prolong  the  inactivity 
of  the  British  government,  by  reiterating  assurances  of  its  pa- 
cific purposes  and  earnest  desire  of  accommodation.  But  when 
the  Marquis  de  Mirepoix,  the  ambassador  of  France  at  London, 
a  truly  honourable  man,  tendered  these  assurances,  in  full  reli- 
ance on  their  truth,  to  the  British  ministers,  they  exhibited  to 
him  such  incontestable  proofs  of  the  insincerity  of  his  court, 
that  he  was  struck  with  astonishment  and  mortification,  and, 
repairing  to  Versailles,  upbraided  the  ministers  of  Louis  the 
Fifteenth  with  the  indignity  to  which  they  had  exposed  him  as 
the  tool  of  their  dissimulation.  By  them  he  was  referred  to  the 
king,  who  commanded  him  to  return  to  London  with  fresh 


n 


k  i 


/ 


I 


* 


I  *. 


THE  SEVEN   YEAKS    WAR. 


117 


protestations  of  his  royal  intention  to  preserve  peace;  but  the 
conduct  of  this  monarcli  corresponded  so  ill  with  liis  professions, 
that  his  ambassador  had  scarcely  obtained  an  audience  to  com- 
municate them,  when  indubitable  assurance  was  received  that 
a  powerful  squadron  was  ready  to  sail  for  America  I'rom  Brest 
and  Rochefort.  In  effect,  it  sailed  soon  after,  and  transported 
a  great  quantity  of  military  stores,  and  four  thousand  regular 
troops,  commanded  by  the  Baron  Dieskau.  Roused  by  this 
intelligence,  the  British  government  despatched  a  small  fleet, 
under  the  command  of  Admiral  Boscawen,  and  afterwards,  on 
learning  the  superior  strength  of  the  enemy,  a  few  more  vessels 
under  Admiral  Holborne,  to  watch  the  motions  of  the  French 
squadron.  But  no  additional  land  forces  were  sent  by  Britain 
to  America ;  nor  yet  did  she  think  fit  to  declare  war  against 
France.  The  French  monarch  was  still  more  bent  on  avoiding 
or  at  least  postponing  this  extremity ;  and  although  a  part  of 
the  fleet  which  he  had  despatched  to  America  was  attacked  off 
Newfoundland  and  captured  by  Admiral  Boscawen,  he  still  re- 
frained from  any  nearer  approach  to  a  declaration  of  war  than 
the  recall  of  his  ambassador  from  England.  (April  25,  1 755.) 
The  British  king,  in  his  speech  to  parliament,  asserted  the  sin- 
cerity of  his  wishes  and  endeavours,  and  still  expressed  a  hope 
of  his  ability,  to  preserve  peace;  but  withal  declared  that  he 
would  not  purchase  even  this  blessing  at  the  expense  of  sub- 
mitting to  encroachments  upon  his  dominions.  An  act  of  par- 
liament was  passed,  extending  the  provisions  of  the  British 
Mutiny  Act  to  North  America ;  and  declaring  that  all  troops, 
raised  by  any  of  the  colonial  governors  or  assemblies,  should, 
whenever  they  acted  in  conjunction  with  the  British  soldiers, 
be  subject  to  the  same  system  of  martial  law  and  discipline 
which  obtained  in  the  British  army.  A  communication,  ad- 
dressed some  time  before  to  the  provincial  governments,  signified 
the  king's  commands,  that  officers  commissioned  by  his  majesty, 
or  by  his  commander-in-chief  in  North  America,  should  take 
precedence  of  all  those  whose  commissions  were  derived  from 
the  provincial  governors  or  assemblies ;  "  and  that  the  general 
and  field  officers  of  the  provincial  troops  should  have  no  rank, 
when  serving  with  the  general  and  field  officers  commissioned 
by  the  crown."  This  regulation  proved  exceedingly  unpalatable 
15  k2 


118 


THE  SEVEN   TEARS    WAR. 


to  the  Americans.  Washington,  in  particular,  resenting  it  as 
ii^urioua  to  the  merit  of  his  countrymen  and  calculated  to  de 
press  their  spirit  and  character,  resigned  his  commission. 
Happily,  however,  for  his  own  fame  and  his  country's  interest, 
he  was  persuaded  to  accept  the  appointment  of  aid-de-camp  to 
General  Braddock. 

While  preparations  were  making  for  the  prosecution  of  those 
military  schemes  devised  by  tlic  convention  of  Annapolis,  the 
New  England  colonies  despatched  a  force  against  the  forts  and 
settlements  established  by  the  French  in  Nova  Scotia.  Three 
thousand  men  were  raised,  and  placed  undor  the  command  of 
Colonel  Winslow.  On  arriving  at  the  British  settlement  in 
Nova  Scotia,  May  25, 1755,  the  New  England  forces  were  joined 
by  three  hundred  regular  troops  and  a  train  of  artillery,  and 
the  command  of  the  whole  was  assumed  by  Colonel  Monckton, 
an  English  officer.  This  expedition  was  crowned  with  entire 
success.  Beau  Sejour,  the  principal  French  fort  at  Chignecto, 
sustained  a  hot  siege  of  a  few  days,  and  then  surrendered.  The 
victors  gave  it  the  name  of  Fort  Cumberland.  The  garrison 
was  sent  to  Louisbourg.  The  other  fortresses  of  the  French 
in  this  quarter,  surrendered  soon  after  upon  the  same  honour- 
able terms.  Nova  Scotia  was  thus  reduced  to  the  domi:  i  of 
Britain,  the  loss  of  the  conquerors  being  only  20  killed  and  as 
many  wounded.  A  large  number  of  the  inhabitants,  being 
inimical  to  the  British  rule,  were  forced  to  quit  the  country'. 

But  little  doubt  was  entertained  that  the  expedition  under 
Braddock,  against  Fort  Duquesne,  would  be  successful.  After 
various  difficulties  with  the  colonial  authorities,  General  Brad- 
dock was  prepared  to  move  forward.  He  commenced  his  march 
from  Wills'  Creek,  on  the  10th  of  June,  at  the  head  of  two 
thousand  two  hundred  men.  The  advance  of  the  army,  un- 
avoidably retarded  by  the  natural  impediments  of  the  region  it 
had  to  traverse,  was  additionally  and  unnecessarily  obstructed 
by  the  stubborn  adherence  of  Braddock,  amidst  the  boundless 
woods  and  tangled  thickets  of  America,  to  the  system  of  military 
movements  adapted  to  the  open  and  extensive  plains  of  Europe. 
He  was  roused  at  length  to  gi"eater  vigour  and  activity  by  the 
intelligence  that  the  French  at  Fort  Duquesne  expected  a  rein- 
forcement of  five  hundred  regular  troops  j  whereupon,  at  the 


ff^ 


TBI  SEVEN  TEARS*   WAB. 


119 


OBHBnAL   BRADDOOK. 


the 


head  of  twelve  hundred  men  whom  he  selected  from  the 
different  corps,  and  with  ten  pieces  of  cannon  and  the  necessary 
ammunition  and  provisions,  he  resolved  to  press  forward  to  the 
point  of  destination, — ^leaving  the  residue  of  the  army,  under 
the  command  of  Colonel  Dunbar,  to  follow,  with  all  the  heavy 
baggage,  by  easy  and  leisurely  marches.  After  a  laborious  pro- 
gress, which  was  still  unnecessarily  retarded,  and  yet  unaccom- 
panied by  the  precaution  of  reconnoitring  the  woods,  Braddock 
arrived  at  the  Monongahela  on  the  8th.  of  July,  and  encamped 
within  ten  miles  of  Fort  Duquesne.  Though  Dunbar  was  now 
forty  miles  behind  him,  and  the  proximity  of  the  enemy  in- 
creased the  danger  of  instantaneous  attack,  he  prepared  to  ad- 
vance the  next  day  in  his  usual  style  of  march,  and  expected  to 
invest  the  French  fortress  without  opposition.  Sir  Peter  Hal- 
ket  and  others  of  his  officers  now  vainly  entreated  him  to  pro- 
ceed with  greater  caution,  to  convert  the  column  of  march  into 
an  order  of  battle,  and  to  employ  the  friendly  Indians,  who  at- 
tended him,  as  an  advanced  guard,  to  explore  and  anticipate 


120 


THE   SEVEN  TEARS*  WAR. 


the  probabilities  of  ambuscade.  Not  less  vainly  did  Washington 
represent  that  the  profound  silence  and  apparent  solitude  of  the 
gloomy  scenes  around  them  afforded  no  security  in  American 
warfare  against  deadly  and  imminent  danger,  and  offer  with 
the  provincial  troops  to  scour  and  occupy  the  woods  in  the  front 
and  on  the  flanks  of  the  main  body.  Braddock  treated  with 
equal  contempt  the  idea  of  aid  and  of  hostility  from  Indian 
savages ;  and  disdainfully  rejecting  the  proposition  of  Wash- 
ington, ordered  the  provincials  to  form  the  rearguard  of  the 
British  force. 

On  the  following  day,  this  infatuated  commander  resumed 
his  march  (July  9,  1755),  without  having  made  the  slightest 
att^empt  to  gain  intelligence  of  the  situation  or  dispositions  of 
the  enemy.  Three  hundred  British  regulars,  conducted  by 
Colonel  Gage,  composed  his  van ;  and  Braddock  himself  followed 
at  some  distance  with  the  artillery  and  main  body  of  the  army 
divided  into  small  columns.  Thus  incautiously  advancing,  and 
having  arrived  about  noon  within  seven  miles  of  Fort  Du- 
quesne, — in  an  open  wood  undergrown  thickly  with  high  grass, 
his  troops  were  suddenly  startled  by  the  appalling  sound  of  the 
Indian  war-cry ;  and  in  the  same  moment  a  rattling  shower  of 
musketry  was  poured  on  their  front  and  left  flank  from  an 
enemy  so  artfully  concealed  that  not  a  man  of  them  could  be 
descried.  The  vanguard,  staggered  and  daunted,  fell  back  upon 
the  main  body ;  and  the  firing  being  repeated  with  redoubled 
fury  and  without  yet  disclosing  either  the  numbers  or  the  posi- 
tion of  the  assailants,  terror  and  confusion  began  to  spread 
among  the  British  troops ;  and  many  of  them  sought  safety  in 
flight,  notwithstanding  all  the  efforts  of  their  officers,  some  of 
whom  behaved  very  gallantly,  to  recall  and  rally  them.  Brad- 
dock himself,  if  he  ever  possessed  any  of  the  higher  qualities 
of  a  soldier,  was  in  this  emergence  deserted  of  them  all,  and 
exhibited  only  an  obstinate  and  unavailing  bravery.  Instead 
of  raking  the  thickets  and  bushes  whence  the  fire  was  poured 
with  grape-shot  from  the  ten  pieces  of  cannon  which  he  had  with 
him,  or  pushing  forward  flanking  parties  of  his  Indians  against 
the  enemy,  he  confined  his  attention  exclusively  to  the  regular 
infantry.  To  them  the  only  command  which  he  should  have 
addressed  was  either  an  instant  retreat,  or  a  rapid  charge  with- 


"RKHCH  AND  INDIANS  AT  THE  DEFEAT  OF  BRADDOCK. 


joured 
Id  with 
;ainst 

■egular 
have 
with- 


(121) 


THE  SEVEN  TEARS*   WAR. 


123 


out  regard  to  methodical  order  and  regularity.  He  adopted 
neither  of  these  expedients;  but,  remaining  on  the  ground 
where  he  was  first  attacked,  under  an  incessant  and  galling  fire, 
he  directed  the  brave  officers  and  men  who  continued  with  him, 
to  form  in  regular  line  and  advance.  Meanwhile  his  troops  fell 
fast  beneath  the  iron  tempest  that  hissed  around  them,  and 
almost  all  his  ofiicers  were  singled  out  one  after  another  and 
killed  or  wounded ;  for  the  Indians,  who  always  take  deliberate 
and  particular  aim  when  they  fire,  and  aim  preferably  at  the 
officers,  easily  distinguished  them  by  their  dress.  After  an 
action  of  three  hours,  Braddock,  under  whom  three  horses  were 
killed,  and  whose  obstinacy  seemed  to  increase  with  the  danger, 
received  a  shot  through  the  right  arm  and  the  lungs,  and  was 
carried  off"  the  field  by  Colonel  Gage.  All  the  officers  on  horse- 
back, except  Colonel  Washington,  were  now  killed  or  wounded, 
and  the  residue  of  the  troops  by  whom  the  conflict  had  been 
maintained,  abandoned  it  in  dismay  and  disorder.  The  pro- 
vincials, who  were  among  the  last  to  leave  the  field,  were  rallied 
after  the  action  by  the  skill  and  presence  of  mind  of  Washing- 
ton, and  covered  the  retreat  of  the  regulars.  The  defeat  was 
complete. 

About  seven  hundred  of  the  British  were  killed  or  wounded, 
including  a  considerable  proportion  of  the  Virginian  troops,  and 
sixty-four  out  of  eighty-five  officers.  Sir  Peter  Halket  fell  by 
the  first  fire  at  the  head  of  his  regiment ,  and  the  general's  sec- 
retary, son  to  Governor  Shirley,  was  killed  soon  after.  The 
artillery,  ammunition,  and  baggage  were  abandoned  to  the 
enemy ;  and  the  defeated  army  fled  precipitately  to  the  camp 
of  Dunbar,  where  Braddock  expired  of  his  wounds.  Although 
no  pursuit  was  attempted  by  the  French,  who  aften\'^ards  gave 
out  that  their  numbers,  including  Indian  auxiliaries,  had 
amounted  only  to  four  hundred  men,  and,  with  greater  proba- 
bility, that  their  loss  in  the  action  was  perfectly  insignificant, 
Dunbar,  struck  with  astonishment  and  alarm,  and  finding  that 
his  troops  were  infected  with  the  panic  and  disarray  of  the 
fugitives,  hastily  reconducted  them  to  Wills'  Creek.  Here 
letters  were  brought  to  him  from  the  governors  of  Virginia, 
Maryland,  and  Pennsylvania,  beseeching  him  to  assist  in  defend 
ing  the  frontiers  of  these  provinces,  while  they  would  endeavour 


124 


THE  SEVEN  TEARS    WAR. 


to  raise  from  the  inhabitants  reinforcements  that  might  enable 
him  yet  to  resume  the  enterprise  against  Fort  Duquesne.  But, 
diffident  of  his  safety,  he  declined  to  accede  to  their  desire ;  and 
abandoning  his  position  at  Wills'  Creek,  pursued  a  hasty  retreat 
to  Philadelphia.  Since  their  arrival  in  America,  and  especially 
during  this  retreat,  the  conduct  of  the  British  soldiers  towards 
the  American  colonists  was  marked  by  licentious  rapine  and 
insolence ;  and  it  was  generally  declared  of  them  that  they 
were  much  more  formidable  to  the  people  whom  they  had  been 
commissioned  to  defend,  than  to  the  enemy  whom  they  had 
undertaken  to  conquer. 

The  consequences  of  Braddock's  defeat  were  soon  felt  by  the 
frontier  settlers.  The  tomahawk  and  scalping-knife  were  un- 
ceasingly employed,  and  all  the  horrors  of  savage  warfare  were 
experienced.  The  measures  of  the  Virginia  Assembly  were 
inadequate  to  protect  the  people  of  that  colony.  The  skilful 
and  unwearied  exertions  of  Washington  proved  unavailing  to 
stem  the  furious  and  destructive  incursions  of  the  French  jind 
Indians,  who,  dividing  into  small  parties,  spread  themselves 
over  the  frontier. 

The  proposed  expedition  against  Niagara  failed  from  various 
causes.  By  Braddock's  death,  Shirley  became  commander-in- 
chief  of  the  British  forces  in  North  America.  The  troops  he 
was  to  lead  against  Niagara,  were  to  assemble  at  Albany. 
Various  causes  combined  to  delay  his  march ;  and  while  he  was 
idvancing  to  Oswego,  the  tidings  of  Braddock's  defeat  overtook 
him,  and  spread  consternation  through  his  army.  Many  of  the 
boatmen  and  sledgemen  Avho  were  hired  to  transport  the  stores 
and  provisions,  deserted,  and  the  Indians  displayed  a  desire  to 
follow  them.  On  the  21st  of  August,  1755,  he  arrived  at  Os- 
wego. The  forces  were  so  much  reduced  by  desertion,  and  the 
fidelity  of  the  Indians  was  so  precarious,  that  farther  delay 
could  not  be  avoided ;  and  though  Shirley  finally  endeavoured 
to  press  forward  to  Niagara,  he  was  compelled  to  abandon  his 
design.  Leaving  Colonel  Mercer  at  Oswego,  with  a  garrison  of 
seven  hundred  men,  and  instructions  to  build  two  additional 
forts  for  the  security  of  the  place,  the  commander-in-chief  re- 
turned with  his  main  force  to  Albany. 

The  forces  which  were  to  proceed  against  Crown  Point,  as- 


THE    SEVEN    TEARS    WAR. 


126 


'lay 

ircd 

hi? 

of 

re- 
as- 


sembled at  Albany.  They  consiHtcd  of  militia  regiments,  sup- 
plied by  the  New  England  States  and  New  York,  and  amount- 
ing to  between  five  and  six  thouHand  men.  The  command  was 
intrusted  to  Gen.  William  JohnMon,  a  man  without  military 
experience,  but  energetic  and  enterprising.  He  possessed  much 
influence  over  the  Indians  of  the  Six  Nations,  and  persuaded 
Hendrick,  a  brave  and  sagacious  Mohawk  chief,  with  about 
three  hundred  wariors,  to  join  liltn. 

While  Johnson  was  collecting  his  artillery  and  military 
stores.  General  Lyman,  the  second  in  command,  advanced  with 
the  troops  to  the  carry inr/ -place  between  Hudson's  River  and 
Lake  George,  about  sixty  iniloH  from  Albany,  and  began  to 
build  a  fortress,  which  received  the  name  of  Fort  Edward,  on 
the  east  side  of  the  Hudson.  Having  joined  his  army,  Johnson 
left  a  part  of  it  as  a  garrison  to  Fort  Edward,  and  towards  the 
end  of  August  proceeded  with  the  main  body  to  the  southern 
extremity  of  Lake  George,  Hero  ho  learned  from  his  Lidian 
scouts,  that  a  party  of  French  and  Indians  had  established  a 
fort  at  Ticonderoga,  which  is  situated  on  the  isthmus  between 
the  north  end  of  Lake  George  and  the  southern  shore  of  Lake 
Champlain,  about  fifteen  miles  from  Crown  Point.  As  the 
tbrtifications  at  Ticonderoga  were  reported  to  be  incomplete, 
Johnson,  deeming  that  the  con([ueHt  of  the  place  would  be  at- 
tended with  little  difficulty,  and  regarding  it  as  a  key  to  the 
main  object  of  his  enterprise,  was  preparing  to  advance  against 
it,  when  he  was  suddenly  reduced  to  act  on  the  defensive  by 
the  motions  of  the  enemy,  and  the  unexpected  tidings  that 
reached  him  of  the  force  which  they  possessed. 

Baron  Dieskau,  an  able  and  experienced  officer,  had  now  ar- 
rived in  Canada  with  a  strong  reinforcement  of  troops  from 
France;  and  having  collected  a  considerable  army  both  of 
French  and  Indians,  was  advancing  against  the  British  settle- 
ments with  the  purpose  of  striking  an  important  blow.  Johnson 
hastened  to  transmit  this  alarming  intelligence  to  the  provinces 
whose  troops  he  commanded,  and  especially  to  the  government 
of  Massachusetts, — together  with. an  urgent  request  for  further 
assistance,  which  he  reckoned  indispensable  to  the  success  of 
his  enterprise  and  even  to  the  safety  of  his  army.  The  issue 
of  this  application  afibrds  another  instance  of  that  unconquer- 
16  L 


126 


THE  SEVEN  TEAKS    WAR. 


able  spirit  which  distinguished  the  people  of  New  England. 
Massachusetts  had  supplied  the  greatest  part  of  the  force  which 
Johnson  already  commanded,  and  by  her  various  military 
exertions,  incurred  an  expense  disproportioned  to  her  resources, 
and  of  which  she  anxiously  solicited  a  reimbursement  from  the 
parent  state.  The  reputation  of  Dieskau,  and  the  advantage 
which  he  possessed  in  commanding  disciplined  troops,  contrasted 
with  the  inexperience  of  Johnson  and  the  American  militia, 
gave  rise  to  apprehensions,  which,  combining  with  the  depression 
occasioned  by  Braddock's  defeat,  produced  a  general  despair  of 
the  success  of  the  expedition  against  Crown  Point.  But  this 
was  a  favourite  enterprise  with  the  people  of  Ne^v  England,  and 
they  were  determined  to  persist  in  it  as  long  as  possible,  and 
to  support  to  the  utmost  of  their  power  the  brave  men  who 
were  engaged  in  conducting  it.  A  large  subsidiary  force  was 
raised  in  Massachusetts,  and  despatched  with  the  hope  of  at 
least  extricating  Johnson  and  his  army  from  the  danger  of  be- 
ing compelled  to  surrender  to  the  superior  power  of  the  enemy. 
But  the  danger  was  over  before  this  reinforcement  reached  the 
scene  of  action.  Dieskau  had  been  ordered  to  direct  his  first 
effort  to  the  reduction  of  the  British  post  at  Oswego,  of  the  im- 
portance of  which  the  French  government  was  fully  aware ; 
and  he  had  already  commenced  his  march  for  this  purpose, 
when  the  tidings  of  Johnson's  expedition  induced  him  to  reserve 
his  force  for  the  defence  of  Crown  Point.  Finding  that  John- 
son's army,  which  was  inferior  both  in  number  and  experience, 
did  not  venture  to  approach,  he  deterrained  to  advance  against 
it ;  and  expecting  an  easy  victory  and  the  consequent  fall  of 
Fort  Edward,  proposed,  as  an  ulterior  measure,  to  invade  Al- 
bany, to  ravage  the  neighbouring  settlements,  and  deprive  the 
British  of  all  communication  with  Oswego.  His  purpose  would 
have  succeeded,  if  the  fate  of  the  two  armies  had  depended  on 
the  comparative  skill  of  their  commanders.  But  victory, 
tiK  ugh  commonly,  is  not  indefeasibly,  the  prize  of  either  the 
skilful  or  the  strong. 

Johnson  was  apprised  of  Dieskau's  approach,  but  ignorant 
both  of  his  position  and  of  his  force ;  for  the  Indians,  who  were 
his  scouts,  had  'lo  words  or  signs  for  expressing  any  large  num- 
ber, and  customarily  pointed  to  the  hair  of  their  heads,  or  to 


THE  SEVEN  TEARS    WAR. 


127 


the  stars  in  the  firmament,  when  they  meant  to  denote  any 
quantity  which  exceeded  their  reckoning.  It  was  impossible  to 
collect  from  their  reports  whether  the  French  fell  short  of  a 
thousand,  or  exceeded  ten  thousand  in  number.  Yet,  notwith- 
standing this  uncertainty,  Johnson,  who  had  fortified  his  camp 
at  Lake  George,  committed  the  rashness  of  detaching  a  thou- 
sand men,  under  the  command  of  a  brave  officer,  Colonel 
Ephraim  Williams,  together  with  Hendrick  and  the  Indian 
auxiliaries,  to  attack  the  enemy.  (September  6, 1755.)  This 
detachment  had  hardly  advanced  three  miles  beyond  the  camp, 
when  it  found  itself  almost  entirely  surrounded  by  the  French 
army,  and,  after  a  gallant  but  hopeless  conflict,  was  defeated 
with  some  loss  and  put  to  flight.  Williams  fell  in  this  encoun- 
ter; and  Hendrick,  with  several  of  his  Indians,  who  fought 
with  heroic  bravery,  were  also  among  the  shxin.  The  French, 
whose  loss  was  not  inferior,  pursued  the  fugitives  to  their  camp, 
^nd,  had  they  made  an  instantaneous  attack,  they  would  pro- 
bably have  carried  it ;  but,  fortunately  for  its  defenders,  a  pause 
took  place,  which,  though  short,  gave  time  for  their  panic  and 
confusion  to  subside.  Dieskau  had  learned  a  few  days  before 
that  Johnson  had  no  cannon  in  his  camp ;  and  he  was  not 
aware,  that,  in  the  interim,  a  number  of  these  engines  had  been 
seasonably  transported  to  it  from  Fort  Edward.  Dismayed  by 
the  unexpected  fire  of  this  artillery,  the  Canadian  militia  and 
their  Indian  auxiliaries  fled  into  the  woods,  whence  the  dis- 
charges of  their  musketry  against  a  fortified  camp  produced 
little  effect.  The  French  regulars,  however,  maintained  their 
ground,  and  with  them,  Dieskau,  in  an  engagement  which  was 
prolonged  for  several  hours,  conducted  a  vigorous  assault  upon 
Johnson's  position.  Johnson  displayed  a  firm  and  intrepid 
spirit  during  his  brief  participation  in  the  commencement  of 
the  action ;  but  having  soon  received  a  painful  wound,  he  was 
compelled  to  retire  to  his  tent  and  abandon  the  command  to 
Lyman.  Under  the  conduct  of  this  American  officer,  his  coun- 
trymen defended  their  camp  with  such  resolution  and  success, 
that  the  French  were  finally  repulsed  with  the  loss  of  nearly  a 
thousand  men.  Dieskau  was  mortally  wounded  and  taken  pri- 
soner ;  and  his  discomfited  forces,  assembling  at  some  distance 
and  preparing  to  refresh  themselves  with  food,  were  suddenly 


128 


THE  SEVEN   YEARS     WAR. 


DIE8KAU  WOUNDED   AND   CAPTURED. 


iittiickod  by  a  small  party  of  New  York  and  New  Hampshire 
militia  commanded  by  Captains  Folsom  and  M'Ginnes,  and, 
fl  iiig  in  confusion,  left  the  whole  of  their  baggage  and  annnu- 
iiition  a  prey  to  the  victors.  In  the  various  conflicts  by  which 
this  important  day  was  signalized,  there  were  killed  or  mortally 
wounded  about  a  hundred  and  thirty  of  the  British  provincials, 
and  among  others  Captain  M'Ginnes,  by  whom  the  success  was 
completed,  and  Colonel  Titcomb,  of  Massachusetts,  who  had 
previously  gained  the  praise  of  distinguished  bravery  at  the 
siege  of  Louisbourg. 

Now  was  the  time  for  the  British  to  improve  the  advantage 
they  had  won,  and  reap  the  full  fruit  of  their  victory  by  a  vi- 
gorous pursuit  of  the  flying  enemy  and  by  investing  Crown 
Point,  which,  from  the  smallness  of  its  garrison,  and  the  impres- 
sion produced  by  the  defeat  of  Dieskau,  would  have  probably 
afforded  them  an  easy  conquest.  But  Johnson  was  less  desirous 
of  extending  the  public  advantage  than  of  reaping  and  securing 
his  own  personal  share  in  it ;  and  sensible  of  the  claim  he  had 
acquired  on  royal  favour,  he  was  averse  to  expose  it,  while  yet 
unrewarded,  to  the  hazard  of  diminution.  He  directed  his 
rroops  to  strengthen  the  fortifications  of  his  camp,  in  utter  dis- 
regard of  the  spirited  counsel  of  Shirley,  who  pressed  him  to 


THE   SEVEN   years'   WAR. 


129 


resume  active  operations,  and  at  least  to  dislodge  the  French 
from  Ticonderoga  before  they  had  time  to  fortify  this  post  and 
recover  from  their  surprise  and  consternation.  Whether  from 
negligence  or  from  a  politic  deference  to  the  sentiments  of  the 
British  court,  li  •  maintained  scarcely  any  communication  with 
the  New  Eii'^land  governments,  and  sent  the  French  general 
and  the  other  prisoners  to  New  York, — although  Massachusetts 
had  claimed  the  distinction  of  receiving  them,  as  due  to  the 
preponderance  of  her  interest  in  the  anny  by  which  they  were 
taken.  With  the  additional  troops  lately  raised  in  this  pro- 
vince, and  which  were  now  united  to  Johnson's  original  and 
victorious  army,  it  was  not  doubted  that  he  would  still  attempt 
some  farther  enterprise  before  the  close  of  the  year.  But  ho 
suffered  the  opportunity  to  pass  by,  and  consumed  the  time  in 
lingering  and  irresolute  deliberation,  till,  by  the  advice  of  a 
council  of  war,  the  attack  of  Crown  Point,  and  all  other  active 
operations,  were  abandoned  for  the  present  season.  (October, 
1755.)  His  army  was  then  disbanded,  with  the  exception  of 
six  hundred  men,  who  were  appointed  to  garrison  Fort  Edward, 
and  another  strong  fort  which  was  erected  at  the  southern  ex- 
tremity of  Lake  George,  and  received  the  name  of  Fort  William 
Henry. 

As  the  victory  of  the  English  was  not  followed  up,  it  was  of 
little  service,  except  in  the  way  of  raising  their  spirits,  so  de- 
pressed by  Braddock's  defeat.  In  his  reports  of  the  action, 
Johnson  assumed  all  the  credit  of  the  triumph ;  and  he  was 
rewarded  with  the  dignity  of  a  baronet,  the  office  of  royal  su- 
perintendent of  Indian  affairs,  and  the  sum  of  five  thousand 
pounds.  The  services  of  General  Lyman  and  other  meritorious 
Americans  were  unnoticed  and  unrewarded. 

On  the  12th  of  December,  1755,  General  Shirley  convoked  a 
council  of  war  at  New  York,  which  was  attended  by  the  govern- 
ors of  New  York,  Connecticut,  Maryland,  and  Pennsylvania 
Here  an  extensive  plan  of  operations  for  the  next  campaign 
was  arranged.  It  was  proposed  to  raise  ten  thousand  men  for 
an  expedition  against  Crown  Point ;  six  thousand  for  an  attempt 
upon  Niagara,  and  three  thousand  for  an  attack  on  Fort  Du- 
quesne.  To  divert  the  attention  of  the  enemy,  it  was  proposed 
to  send  two  thousand  men  to  Canada  by  way  of  the  Kennebec 

l2 


130 


THE   SEVEN   YEARS    WAR. 


Lord  Loudoun  soon  after  arrived,  and  assumed  the  functions  of 
commander-in-chief,  as  well  as  those  of  governor  of  Virginia. 
(July,  1 756.)  A  difficulty  concerning  precedence,  which  existed 
between  the  British  and  colonial  officers,  was  amicably  adjusted 
as  the  colonists  desired.  Bright  hopes  were  entertained  that  the 
campaign  would  have  a  glorious  result,  when  all  the  arrange- 
ments were  disconcerted  by  the  news  of  an  important  advantage 
gained  by  the  French. 

Baron  Dieskau,  the  French  commander-in-chief  in  America, 
had  been  succeeded  by  the  Marquis  de  Montcalm,  a  bold,  skil- 
ful, and  enterprising  general.  In  August,  1756,  Montcalm  led 
an  army  of  5000  regulars,  Canadian  militia,  and  Indians,  by  a 
rapid  march  to  Oswego,  and  invested  two  of  the  British  forts. 
The  scanty  stock  of  ammunition  with  which  the  garrison  had 
been  supplied,  was  soon  exhausted ;  and  Colonel  Mercer,  the 
commander,  thereupon  spiked  his  guns,  and,  evacuating  the 
place,  carried  his  troops  without  the  loss  of  a  single  man  into 
the  other  fort.  Upon  this  stronghold  a  heavy  fire  was  speedily 
poured  by  the  enemy  from  the  deserted  post,  of  which  they  as- 
sumed possession ;  and  Mercer  having  been  killed  by  a  cannon- 
ball,  the  garrison,  dismayed  by  his  loss,  and  disappointed  in  an 
attempt  to  procure  aid  from  Fort  George,  situated  about  four 
miles  and  a  half  up  the  river,  where  Colonel  Schuyle/  was 
posted,  demanded  a  capitulation  and  surrendered  as  prisoners 
of  war.  The  garrison  consisted  of  the  regiments  of  Shirley 
and  Pepperell,  and  amounted  to  one  thousand  four  hundred 
men.  The  conditions  of  surrender  were,  that  the  prisoners 
should  be  exempted  from  plunder,  conducted  to  Montreal,  and 
treated  with  humanity.  But  these  conditions  were  violated  in 
a  manner  disgraceful  to  the  warfare  of  the  French.  It  was  the 
duty  of  Montcalm  to  guard  his  engagements  from  the  danger 
of  infringement  by  his  savage  allies ;  and  yet  he  instantly  deli- 
vered up  twenty  of  his  prisoners  to  the  Indians  who  accom- 
panied him,  as  victims  to  their  vengeance  for  an  equal  number 
of  their  own  race  who  perished  in  the  siege.  Nor  was  the  re- 
mainder of  the  captive  garrison  protected  from  the  cruelty  and 
indignity  with  which  these  savages  customarily  embittered  the 
fate  of  the  vanquished.  Almost  all  of  them  were  plundered ; 
many  were  scalped ;  and  some  were  assassinated.     In  the  two 


Ired 


THE   SEVEN   YEARS    WAR. 


133 


fortfl,  the  victors  obtained  poBRossion  of  one  hiinrlred  and  twenty- 
one  pieces  of  artillery,  fourtoon  mortarn,  and  a  groat  quantity 
of  tnilitary  stores  and  provisions.  A  nunilKT  of  sl<K)pH  and 
Iwats  at  the  same  time  fell  int«  their  hands.  No  sooner  was 
Montcalm  in  possession  of  the  forts,  than,  with  judicious  i)olicy, 
he  demolished  them  both  in  presence  of  the  Indians  of  the  Six 
N^ations,  within  whose  t  rritory  they  were  erected,  and  whose 
jealousy  they  had  not  a  little  awakened. 

In  consequence  of  this  severe  l)low,  the  Enj^lish  wore  driven 
!o  defensive  operations.  The  old  forts  were  strenu;! honed,  and 
'lew  ones  Avere  built.  Lord  Loudoun  exerted  himself  to  the 
best  of  his  ability  to  prepare  forces  and  supplies  for  a  canii)aign 
m  the  next  spring;  )jut  he  was  unfit  for  his  station,  and  by  an 
miperious  and  yet  undignified  course  of  aetit»ri,  rendered  him- 
self obnoxious  to  the  coh)nists,  so  that  they  had  l)ut  little  hope 
of  effecting  anything  of  importance  while  he  was  in  the  chief 
command.  When  New  York  and  New  England  needed  pro- 
tection, Lord  Loudoun  withdrew  the  forces  and  projected  an 
expedition  against  Louisbourg.  In  July,  1757,  the  armament 
sailed  against  that  strong  post,  and  it  was  found  to  be  so  power- 
fully garrisoned,  that  an  attempt  upon  it  would  have  lx?en 
ittonded  with  utter  defeat.  His  lordship  tlien  returned  to  New 
York,  th'  re  to  learn  the  consequences  of  his  want  of  skill. 

Montcalm,  the  French  commander,  availing  himself  of  the 
unskilful  movement  by  Avhich  Lord  Loudoun  withdrew  so  large 
I  portion  of  the  British  force  from  New  York  to  Halifax,  ad- 
v'anced  with  an  army  of  nine  thousand  men  and  laid  siege  to 
Fort  William  Henry,  which  was  garrisoned  by  nearly  three 
thousand  troops,  partly  English  and  partly  American,  com- 
manded by  a  brave  English  officer,  Colonel  Monroe.  The  se- 
curity of  this  important  post  was  supposed  to  bo  still  farther 
promoted  by  the  proximity  of  Fort  Edward,  which  was  scarcely 
fourteen  miles  from  it,  and  where  the  English  general,  Webb, 
was  stationed  with  a  force  of  four  thousand  men.  Had  Webb 
done  his  duty,  the  besiegers  might  have  been  repulsed,  and 
Fort  William  Henry  preserved ;  but  though  he  received  timely 
notice  of  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  yet,  with  strange  indo- 
lence or  timidity,  he  neither  summoned  the  American  govern- 
ments to  aid  the  place  with  their  militia,  i;ior  despatched  a  single 
17 


134 


THE   SEYEN   YEARS'   WAR. 


li 


company  of  his  own  soldiers  to  its  succour.  Nay,  Avhether  or 
not  he  desired,  so  far  was  he  from  hoping  to  avert,  its  cupture, 
that  the  only  communication  he  made  to  Monroe,  during  the 
siege,  was  a  letter  conveying  the  faint-hearted  counsel  to  sur- 
render without  delay.  (August  9,  1757.)  Montcalm,  on  the 
other  hand,  who  was  endowed  with  a  high  degree  of  military 
genius,  pressed  the  assault  on  Fort  William  Henry  with  the 
utmost  vigour  and  skill.  He  had  inspired  his  own  daring  ardour 
into  the  French  soldiers,  and  roused  the  enthusiasm  of  his 
Indian  auxiliaries  by  promising  plunder  as  the  reward  of  their 
conquest.  After  a  sharp  resistance,  which,  however,  endured 
only  for  six  days,  Monroe,  finding  that  his  ammunition  was 
exhausted,  and  that  hopes  of  relief  were  desperate,  was  com- 
pelled to  surrender  the  place  by  a  capitulation,  of  which  the 
terms  were  far  more  honourable  to  the  vanquished  than  the 
fulfilment  of  them  was  to  the  victors.  It  was  conditioned  that 
the  garrison  should  not  serve  against  the  French  for  eighteen 
months  ;  that  they  should  march  out  with  the  honours  of  war ; 
pnd,  retaining  their  pr'-,  ate  baggage,  be  escorted  to  Fort  Edward 
by  French  troops,  as  a  security  against  the  lawless  ferocity  of 
the  Indians.  But  these  savages  were  incensed  at  the  terms 
which  Montcalm  (whether  swayed  by  generous  respect  for  a 
gallant  foe,  or  apprehensive  that  Webb  might  be  roused  at 
length  from  his  supine  indifference)  conceded  to  the  garrison ; 
and  seeing  no  reason  why  the  French  general  should  postpone 
the  interest  of  his  allies  to  that  of  his  enemies,  were  determined, 
that,  if  he  .broke  his  word  with  either  party,  it  should  not  be 
with  them.  Of  the  scene  of  cruelty  and  bloodshed  which  en- 
sued, the  accounts  which  have  been  transmitted  are  not  less 
uniform  and  authentic  than  horrid  and  disgusting.  The  only 
point  wrapped  in  obscurity  is  how  far  the  French  general  and 
his  troops  were  voluntarily  or  unavoidably  spectators  of  the 
violation  of  the  treaty  they  stood  pledged  to  fulfil.  According 
to  some  accounts,  no  escort  whatever  was  furnished  to  the 
British  garrison.  According  to  others,  the  escort  was  a  mere 
mockery,  both  in  respect  of  the  numbers  of  the  French  guards, 
and  of  their  willin^*ness  to  defend  their  civilized  enemies  against 
their  savage  friends.  It  is  certain  that  the  escort,  if  there  was 
any,  proved  totally  ineffectual.     No  sooner  had  the  garrison 


THE   SEVEN   TEARS    WAR. 


136 


the 


UASSACRB  OF  THB  PRISOKBRS  AT  FORT  WILLIAM   nENRY. 

marched  out,  and  surrendered  their  arms,  in  reliance  upon  the 
pledge  of  the  French  general,  than  a  furious  and  irresistible 
attack  was  made  upon  them  by  the  Indians,  who  stripped  them 
both  of  their  baggage  and  their  clothes,  and  murdered  or  made 
prisoners  of  all  who  attempted  resistance.  About  fifteen  hun- 
dred persons  were  thus  slaughtered  or  carried  into  captivity. 
Such  was  the  lot  of  eighty  men  belonging  to  a  New  Hampshire 
regiment,  of  which  the  complement  was  no  more  than  two 
hundred.  A  number  of  Indian  allies  of  the  English,  and  who 
had  formed  part  of  the  garrison,  fared  still  more  miserably. 
They  were  seized  without  scruple  by  their  savage  enemies,  and 
perished  in  lingering  and  barbarous  torture.  Of  the  garrison 
of  Fort  William  Henry  scarcely  a  half  were  enabled  to  gain 
the  shelter  of  Fort  Edward  in  a  straggling  and  wretched  con- 
dition. 

This  terrible  blow  filled  the  colonists  with  alarm ;  yet  excited 
a  strong  desire  for  vengeance  upon  their  savage  enemies. 
General  Webb,  roused  at  length  from  his  censurable  lethargy, 
invoked  the  aid  of  the  New  England  colonies.  The  militia  of 
Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  were  despatched  at  once  to  check 
the  progress  of  the  victorious  enemy.  Montcalm,  however,  did 
not  even  invest  Fort  Edward,  as  he  was  without  information 
concerning  the  forces  the  English  had  at  command.     The  only 


136 


THE   SEVEN  TEARS     WAR. 


additional  operation  of  the  French  during  the  season  was  a 
predatory  enterprise,  in  concert  with  their  Indian  allies,  against 
the  flourishing  settlements  of  German  Flats,  in  the  province  of 
New  York,  and  along  the  Mohawk  river,  which  they  utterly 
wasted  with  fire  and  sword.  Thus  ended  a  campaign  which 
covered  the  British  with  disgi^ce,  and  threw  much  lustre  upon 
the  French  arms.  Lord  Loudoun  concluded  his  term  of  service 
by  quarrelling  with  the  colonial  authorities,  displaying  much 
more  vigour  in  this  contest  than  he  had  against  the  common 
enemy.  Early  in  the  winter  of  1758,  he  was  superseded,  and 
the  chief  command  in  America  was  given  to  General  Aber- 
crombie. 

The  star  of  France  was  in  the  ascendant  in  America.  But 
a  change  was  coming.  By  the  irresistible  will  of  the  English 
nation,  the  energetic  statesman  and  powerful  orator,  William 
Pitt,  was  placed  at  the  head  of  the  ministry.  He  superseded  Lord 
Loudoun,  because,  he  said,  he  never  could  ascertain  what  that 
commander  was  doing;  and  resolved  to  make  America  the 
chief  scene  of  the  contest,  instead  of  the  continent  of  Europe. 
The  colonies  responded  enthusiastically  to  the  calls  for  new 
forces  and  new  supplies.  A  powerful  British  fleet,  under  Ad- 
miral Boscawen,  was  sent  to  Halifax.  General  Amherst,  with 
12,000  regular  troops,  joined  the  colonial  forces,  and  Aber- 
crombie  found  himself  at  the  head  of  about  50,000  men,  the 
largest  army  yet  assembled  in  the  colonies.  But  the  British 
commander-in-chief  had  little  energy  and  very  slender  abilities, 
and  he  made  small  use  of  his  extensive  means. 

The  conquest  of  Canada  was  the  object  to  which  the  most 
ardent  wishes  of  the  British  colonists  were  directed ;  but  they 
quickly  perceived  that  the  gratification  of  this  hope,  if  ever 
realized,  must  be  deferred  at  least  till  the  succeeding  year ;  as 
the  cabinet  of  England  had  determined,  for  the  protection  of 
the  English  commerce  against  the  cruisers  and  privateers  of 
France,  to  employ  a  considerable  part  of  the  assembled  forces 
in  an  attack  upon  Louisbourg,  and  to  commence  its  new  system 
of  operations  by  the  reduction  of  that  place.  Three  expeditions 
were  proposed  for  the  present  year  (1758):  the  first,  against 
]iOuisbourg,  the  second,  against  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point ; 
and  the  third,  against  Fort  Duquesue.     In  prosecution  of  the 


m 


WILLIAU  PITT,   EARL  OP  CBATHAU. 


M 


(137) 


i  •'! 


THE    SEVEN    YEAHS    WAR. 


139 


first  of  these  enterprises,  Admiral  Boscttwen,  sailing  from  Hali- 
fax (May  28)  with  a  fleet  of  twenty  ships  of  the  line  and 
eighteen  frigates,  conveying  an  army  of  fourteen  thousand  men 
conducted  by  Amherst,  of  which  but  a  small  proportion  were 
provincial  troops,  arrived  before  Louinbourg  on  the  2d  of  June. 
The  garrison  of  this  place,  commanded  by  the  Chevalier  de 
Drucourt,  an  intrepid  and  experienced  officer,  was  composed  of 
two  thousand  five  hundred  rogulars,  aided  by  six  hundred 
militia.  The  condition  of  tlio  harlnjur,  secured  by  five  ships 
of  the  line,  one  fifty-gun  ship,  juid  live  frigates,  three  of  which 
were  sunk  across  the  mouth  of  the  hmn,  rendered  it  necessary 
for  the  invaders  to  land  at  some  diMtanco  from  the  town.  From 
the  defensive  precautions  which  the  enemy  had  adopted,  this 
operation  was  attended  with  considerable  difficulty ;  but,  by 
the  heroic  resolution  and  resistluHS  intrepidity  of  General  Wolfe, 
it  was  accomplished  with  success,  and  little  loss ;  and  the  troops 
having  been  landed  at  the  creek  of  Cormoran  (June  8),  and  the 
artillery  stores  brought  on  sliore,  Wolfe  was  detached  with  two 
thousand  men  to  seize  a  post  which  was  occupied  by  the  enemy 
at  the  Lighthouse  Point,  and  wm  calculated  to  afford  advantage 
to  the  besiegers  by  enabling  them  to  annoy  the  ships  in  the 
harbour  and  the  fortifications  of  the  town.  On  the  appearance 
of  Wolfe,  the  post  was  abandoned ;  and  there  the  British  soon 
erected  a  formidable  battery,  (June  12.)  Approaches  were 
also  made  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  town ;  and  the  siege  was 
pressed  with  a  resolute  activity  characteristic  of  the  English 
commanders,  and  yet  with  a  severe  and  guarded  caution,  in- 
spired by  the  strength  of  the  place  and  the  reputation  of  its 
governor  and  garrison,  who  fully  supported  the  high  idea  that 
was  entertained  of  them,  by  the  skilful  and  obstinate  valour 
they  exerted  in  its  defence.  In  all  the  operations  of  the  siege, 
the  dauntless  courage  and  indefatigable  energy  of  Wolfe  were 
signally  pre-eminent.  A  heavy  cannonade  having  been  main- 
tained against  the  town  and  luirbour,  a  bomb,  exploding,  set 
fire  to  one  of  the  large  ships,  which  soon  blew  up ;  and  the 
flames  were  communicated  to  two  others,  which  shared  the 
same  fate.  The  English  admiral,  in  consequence  of  this  success, 
despatched  boats,  manned  with  six  hundred  men,  into  the  har^ 
hour,  to  make  an  attempt  during  the  night  on  the  two  ships  ol 


140 


THE    SEVEN    YEARS     WAR. 


OENERAL   WOLFE. 


Ill"  * 


m  >i 


the  line  which  still  remained  to  the  enemy.  In  spite  of  a 
tremendous  fire  of  cannon  and  musketry,  the  assailants  success- 
fully performed  this  perilous  feat;  and  one  of  the  ships,  which 
happened  to  be  aground,  was  destroyed,  while  the  other  was 
towed  oflf  in  triumph.  By  this  gallant  exploit  the  English 
gained  complete  possession  of  the  harbour ;  and  already  more 
than  one  practicable  breach  in  the  works  was  produced  by  their 
batteries.  The  governor  now  judged  the  place  no  longer  de- 
fensible, and  offered  to  capitulate ;  but  his  propositions  were 
refused ;  and  it  was  required  that  the  garrison  should  surrender 
at  discretion,  or  abide  the  issue  of  an  assault  by  sea  and  land. 
These  severe  terms,  though  at  first  rejected,  were  finally  em- 
braced ;  and  in  accordance  with  them,  Louisbourg,  with  all  its 


THE   SEVEN  YEARS     WAR. 


141 


of  a 
ccess- 
ivhich 
r  was 
iglish 
more 
their 
T  de- 
were 
ender 
land. 
y  em- 
lU  its 


artillery,  provisions,  and  military  stoi%?,  together  with  Isle 
Royale,  St.  John's,  and  their  dependencies,  was  surrendered  on 
the  26th  of  July  to  the  English,  who  without  farther  difficulty, 
took  entire  possession  of  the  island  of  Ca^je  Breton.  Four 
hundred  of  the  besiegers  and  fifteen  hundred  of  the  garrison 
were  killed  or  wounded  during  the  siege ;  and  the  town  of 
Louisbourg  was  reduced  to  nearly  a  heap  of  ruins.  In  this 
town  the  conquerors  found  two  hundred  and  twenty-one  pieces 
of  cannon,  eighteen  mortars,  and  a  vast  quantity  of  stores  and 
ammunition.  The  inhabitants  of  Cape  Breton  were  transported 
to  France  in  English  ships;  but  the  French  garrison  Jind  their 
naval  auxiliaries  were  carried  prisoners  of  war  to  England, 
where  the  unwonted  tidings  of  victory  and  conquest  were  hailed 
with  demonstrations  of  the  liveliest  triumph  and  joy.  The 
French  colours,  taken  at  Louisbourg,  were  carried  in  grand  i)ro- 
cession  from  Kensington  Palace  to  the  Cathedral  of  St.  Paul's ; 
and  a  form  of  thanksgiving  was  appointed  to  be  used  on  the 
occasion  in  all  the  churches  of  England.  The  sentiments  of 
the  parent  state  were  re-echoed  in  America ;  where  the  people 
of  New  England,  more  especially,  partook  of  the  warmth  of  an 
exultation  that  revived  the  glory  of  their  own  previous 
achievement  in  the  first  conquest  of  Cape  Breton. 

Before  this  conquest  was  completed,  the  expedition  against 
Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point  occurred  to  chequer  the  new  and 
victorious  career  of  the  British  arms  in  America.  This  enter- 
prise was  conducted  by  General  Abercrombie,  who,  on  the  5th 
of  July,  embarked  his  troops  on  Lake  George  in,a  hundred  and 
twenty-five  whaleboats  and  nine  hundred  batteaux.  His  army 
consisted  of  sixteen  thousand  effective  men,  of  whom  nine  thou- 
sand were  provincials,  and  was  attended  by  a  formidable  train 
of  artillery.  Among  other  officers,  he  was  accompanied  by 
Lord  Howe,  a  young  English  nobleman,  who  exhibited  tlie  most 
promising  military  tale.nts,  and  whose  valour,  virtue,  courtesy, 
and  good  sense,  had  greatly  endeared  him  both  to  the  English 
and  the  provincial  troops.  The  mass  of  mankind  are  always 
prone  to  regard  with  veneration  those  titular  distinctions,  which, 
having  no  real  substance,  affijrd  unbounded  scope  to  the  exercise 
of  fancy ;  and  almost  universal  suffi^age  is  won,  when  the  pos- 
sessor of  such  lofty,  though  unsolid,  pretensions  appears  to  jus- 
18  m2 


■I 
i 

:  '( 

i 


■  .m 


U2 


THE   SEVEN  YEARS    WAR. 


ABBRCROMBIe's  ARHT  CROSSIRO  LAKB  flEOROI. 


tify  them  by  merit  and  mitigate  them  by  generosity,  instead  of 
arrogating  them  with  stem  insolence  or  reposing  on  them  with 
indolent  pride.  Lord  Howe  seemed  to  regard  his  titular  dis- 
tinction less  as  a  proof  of  noble  nature  than  an  incentive  to 
noble  action,  and  as  facilitating  the  indulgence  of  an  amiable 
politeness  by  exempting  him  from  all  suspicion  of  mean,  obse- 
quious servility.  From  the  day  of  his  arrival  in  America,  he 
conformed  himself,  and  caused  his  regiment  to  conform,  to  the 
style  of  service  which  the  country  required.  He  was  the  first 
to  encounter  the  danger  to  which  he  conducted  others,  and  to 
set  the  examplfe  of  every  sacrifice  he  required  them  to  incur. 
While  the  strict  discipline  he  maintained  commanded  respect, 
the  kind  and  graceful  benevolence  of  his  manners  conciliated 
affection.     He  was  the  idol  and  soul  of  the  army. 

The  first  operations  of  Abercrombie  were  directed  against 
Ticonderoga.  Having  disembarked  at  the  landing-place  in  a 
cove  on  the  western  side  of  the  lake,  the  troops  were  formed 
into  four  columns,  of  which  the  centre  was  occupied  by  the 
British,  and  the  flanks  by  the  provincials.  In  this  order  they 
marched  against  the  advanced  guard  of  the  French,  which,  con- 
sisting of  one  battalion  only,  destroyed  its  encampment  and 
made  a  precipitate  retreat.  Proceeding  from  the  abandoned 
post  against  Tii;ouderoga,  the  British  columns,  bewildered  by 


rii 


THE   SEVEN   YEARS    WAR. 


143 


on- 
md 
led 

by 


tangled  thickets,  and  misled  by  unskilful  guides,  were  thrown 
into  confusion  and  commingled  in  a  disorderly  manner.  At 
this  juncture.  Lord  Howe,  advancing  at  the  head  of  the  right 
centre  column,  unexpectedly  encountered  the  fugitive  battalion 
of  the  French,  who  had  lost  their  way  in  the  woods,  and  now 
stumbled  upon  the  enemy  from  whom  they  were  endeavouring 
to  escape.  They  consisted  of  regulars  and  a  few  Indians ;  and, 
notwithstanding  their  surprise  and  inferiority  of  numbers,  dis- 
played a  promptitude  of  action  and  courage,  that  had  nearly 
reproduced  the  catastrophe  of  Braddock.  With  audacious 
temerity,  which  in  war  is  easily  mistaken  for  deliberate  confi- 
dence, and  frequently  prevails  over  superior  strength,  they  at- 
tacked their  pursuers ;  and  at  the  first  fire  Lord  Howe  with  a 
number  of  his  soldiers  fell.  (July  6.)  The  suddenness  of  the 
assault,  the  terror  inspired  by  the  Indian  yell,  and  the  griel 
and  astonishment  created  by  the  death  of  Lord  Howe,  excited 
a  general  panic  among  the  British  regulars ;  but  the  provincials, 
who  flanked  them,  and  who  were  better  acquainted  with  the 
mode  of  fighting  practised  by  the  enemy,  stood  their  ground 
and  soon  defeated  their  opponents,  with  a  slaughter,  compared 
to  which,  the  loss  of  the  British  in  point  of  numbers  was  incon- 
siderable. But  the  death  of  Lord  Howe  had  depressed  the 
spirit,  and  enfeebled  the  councils  of  the  army ;  and  to  this  cir- 
cumstance its  subsequent  misfortunes  were  mainly  ascribed. 
The  loss  of  that  brave  and  accomplished  officer  was  generally 
deplored  in  America ;  and  the  Assembly  of  Massachusetts,  not 
long  after,  caused  a  monument  to  be  erected  to  his  memory  in 
Westminster  Abbey. 

The  British  forces,  without  farther  opposition,  took  possession 
of  a  post  situated  within  two  miles  of  Ticonderoga  (July  7), 
previously  occupied  by  an  advanced  guard  commanded  by 
Colonel  Bradstreet,  a  provincial  officer  distinguished  by  his  va- 
lour, intelligence,  and  activity.  The  general,  understanding 
that  the  garrison  at  Ticonderoga  consisted  of  about  six  thousand 
men  (French,  Canadians,  and  Indians),  and  that  a  reinforce- 
ment of  three  thousand  more  was  daily  expected,  resolved  on 
an  immediate  assault  of  the  place.  He  directed  his  engineer  to 
reconnoitre  the  position  and  intrenchments  of  the  enemy;  and, 
trusting  to  a  hasty  survey  and  a  rash  report  of  their  weakness. 


144 


THE   SEVEN   YEARS    WAR. 


embraced  the  dangeroua  purpose  of  forcing  them  without  the 
assistance  of  cannon.  Tlie  troops,  having  received  orders  to 
march  up  briskly,  to  rush  upon  the  enemy's  fire,  and  to  reserve 
theii  own  until  they  had  passed  a  breastwork  which  was  re- 
presented as  easily  superable,  advniiced  to  the  attack  with  the 
highest  intrepidity.  (July  8.)  But  unlooked-for  impediments 
resisted  their  progress.  The  breastwork  proved  much  more 
formidable  than  had  been  reported,  and  in  front  of  it,  to  a  con- 
siderable distance,  trees  were  felled  with  their  branches  pro- 
truding outward  and  sharpened  to  a  point;  by  wl.'ich  obstruc- 
tion the  assailants  were  not  only  retarded  in  their  advance,  but, 
becoming  entangled  among  the  boughs,  were  exposed  in  heli> 
less  embarrassment  and  disorder  to  a  galling  and  destructive 
fire.  The  provincials,  who  v*'ere  posted  behind  tlie  regulars, 
inflamed  with  impatience,  and  not  sufficiently  restrained  by 
discipline,  could  not  be  prevented  from  firing ;  and,  notwith- 
standing their  expertness  as  marksmen,  their  fire  was  supposed 
to  have  proved  more  fatal  to  their  friends  than  their  enemies. 
This  sanguinary  conflict  was  protracted  during  four  hours.  Of 
the  assailants  there  were  killed  and  wounded  about  two  thou- 
sand men,  including  four  hundred  of  the  provincials.  One  half 
of  a  Highland  regiment  commanded  by  Lord  John  Murray^ 
with  twenty-five  of  its  officers,  were  either  killed  or  desperately 
wounded.  The  loss  of  the  enemy,  covered  as  they  were  from 
danger,  was  comparatively  trifling.  At  length  Abercrombie 
gave  the  signal  to  desist  from  the  desperate  enterprise;  and  to 
an  ill-concerted  assault  succeeded  a  retreat  no  less  precipitate 
and  injudicious.  The  British  army,  still  amounting  to  nearly 
fourteen  thousand  men,  greatly  outnumbered  the  enemy ;  and. 
if  the  artillery  had  been  brought  up  to  their  assistance,  might 
have  overpowered  with  little  difficulty  the  French  forces  and 
their  defences  at  Ticonderoga.  But  Abercrombie,  dismayed  by 
his  disastrous  repulse,  and  heedless  of  the  remonstrances  of  the 
provincial  officers,  carried  the  army  back  by  a  hasty  march  to 
the  southern  extremity  of  Lake  George.  Next  to  the  defeat 
of  Braddock,  this  was  the  most  disgraceful  catastrophe  that  had 
befallen  the  arms  of  Britain  in  America. 

As  Abercrombie  showed  himself  destitute  of  the  vigour  that 
was  requisite  to  repair  his  misfortune,  Colonel  Bradstreet  con- 


THE   SEVEN   YEARS    WAR. 


14n 


ceived  the  idea  of  at  least  counterbalancing  it  by  an  effort  in  a 
different  quarter,  and,  witli  tins  view,  suggested  to  tbe  general 
a  substitutional  expedition  wliicli  be  offered  to  conduct  against 
Fort  Frontignac.  Approving  tbe  proposal,  and  willingly  relin- 
quisbing  bis  designs  against  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point, 
Abeio'''»Tnbie  despatched  Bradstreet  at  the  bead  of  tbree  thou- 
sand rnon,  of  wbom  all  but  tbe  trilling  bandful  of  a  luuKb'ed 
and  fifty-five  were  provincials,  together  with  eight  pieces  of 
cannon  and  three  mortars,  to  attempt  the  reduction  of  Fort 
J'rontignac.  Bradstreet  marched  to  Oswego,  embarked  on  Lake 
Ontario,  and,  on  the  evening  of  the  2jtb  of  August,  landed  with- 
in a  mile  of  the  fort.  Before  the  lapse  of  two  days,  bis  batteries 
were  opened  at  so  short  a  distance,  that  almost  every  shot  took 
effect ;  and  the  French  commandant,  finding  bis  force  over- 
powered, was  compelled  to  surrender  at  discretion.  (August 
27.)  The  Indian  auxiliaries  of  the  French  having  previously 
deserted,  tbe  prisoners  were  but  a  hundred  jind  ton.  But  the 
captors  found  in  the  fort  sixty  pieces  of  cannon,  sixteen  small 
mortars,  together  with  a  prodigious  collection  of  military  stores, 
provisions,  and  merchandise.  Nine  armed  vessels  also  fell  into 
their  bands.  Bradstreet,  after  destroying  the  fort  and  vessels, 
and  such  stores  as  he  could  not  carry  away,  returned  to  exhi- 
larate the  main  army  with  this  ray  of  success. 

Tbe  reduction  of  Fort  Frontignac  facilitated  the  enterprise 
against  Fort  Duqucsne,  of  which  the  garrison  awaited,  from  the 
post  thus  unexpectedly  subdued,  a  large  reinforcement  of  stores 
and  ammunition.  General  Forbes,  to  whom  the  expedition 
against  Fort  Duquesne  was  intrusted,  marched  with  his  troops 
early  in  July  from  Philadelphia ;  but  his  progress  was  so  much 
retarded  by  various  obstructions,  that  it  was  not  until  two 
months  after,  that  tbe  Virginian  forces,  commanded  by  Wash- 
ington, were  summoned  to  join  the  British  army  at  Raystown. 
Among  other  provincial  troops  which  participated  in  this  ex- 
pedition was  a  detachment  of  tbe  militia  of  North  Carolina, 
conducted  by  Major  Waddell,  a  brave  and  active  officer  and 
•  highly  respected  inhabitant  of  that  State,  and  accompanied  by 
\  body  of  Indian  auxiliaries.  Before  the  combined  army  ad- 
vanced from  Raystown,  Major  Grant,  an  English  officer,  was 
detached  with    ight  hundred  men,  partly  British  and  partlj 


i]i» 


146 


THE    SEVEN    YEARS     WAR. 


provincials,  to  reconnoitre  the  condition  of  Fort  Duq»;cHno  and 
of  the  adjacent  country.  llaHhly  inviting  an  attack  from  the 
French  garrison,  this  detachment  was  surrounded  by  tiiC  enemy, 
and,  after  a  gallant  but  ineflectual  defence,  in  winch  three 
hundred  men  were  killed  and  wounded,  Major  Grant  and  nine- 
teen other  officers  were  taken  prisoners.  It  was  with  the  utmost 
difficulty  that  the  French  were  able  to  rescue  these  officers  from 
the  sanguinary  ferocity  of  their  own  Indian  auxiliaries,  who 
butchered  the  greatest  part  of  the  wounded  and  the  f  Inoners. 
The  whole  residue  of  the  detachment  would  have  "I.arcsd  the 
same  fate,  if  Captain  Bullet,  a  provincial  officer,  w  ih  thts  aid 
of  a  small  troop  of  Virginians,  had  not,  partly  h)  stratagem, 
and  partly  by  the  most  desperate  effijrts  of  valour,  <  becked  the 
advance  of  the  pursuing  Indians,  and  finally  conducted  the 
fugitives  to  the  main  army,  by  a  skilful,  but  protracted  and 
laborious  retreat.  General  Forbes,  with  his  army,  amounting 
to  at  least  eight  thousand  men,  at  length  advanced  against  Fort 
Duquesne ;  but,  in  spite  of  the  most  strenuous  exertions,  was 
not  able  to  reach  it  till  near  the  close  of  November.  Enfeebled 
by  their  toilsome  march,  the  British  now  approached  the  scene 
of  Braddock's  defeat,  and  beheld  the  field  on  which  the  moulder- 
ing corpses  of  Grant's  troops  still  lay  unburied.  Anxious  to 
know  the  condition  of  the  fort  and  the  position  of  the  enemy's 
troops,  Forbes  offered  a  reward  of  forty  pounds  to  any  man  who 
would  make  prisoner  of  a  hostile  Indian.  This  service  was 
performed  by  a  sergeant  in  the  North  Carolina  militia;  when 
the  intelligence  that  was  obtained  from  the  captive  showed 
Forbes  that  his  labours  were  already  croAvned  with  unexpected 
success.  The  approacli  of  the  British  force,  which  was  attended 
with  all  those  precautions  of  which  the  neglect  proved  so  fatal 
to  Braddock,  had  struck  the  Indians  with  such  terror,  that  they 
withdrew  from  the  assistance  of  the  garrison  of  Fort  Duquesne, 
declaring,  that  the  Great  Spirit  had  evidently  withdrawn  his 
favour  from  the  French  and  his  protection  from  their  fortress  ; 
and  the  French  themselves,  infected  with  the  fears  and 
weakened  by  the  desertion  of  their  allies,  as  well  as  disappointed 
of  the  stores  which  they  had  expected  to  obtain  from  Fort 
Frontignac,  judged  their  post  untenable,  and,  abandoning  it  on 
the  evening  before  the  arrival  of  Forbes's  army,  made  their 


;,-V.:r«~'-~  Ji^iK-;- 


THE   SEVEN   YEARS    WAR. 


14' 


escape  in  boats  down  the  Ohio.  The  British  now  toolt  un- 
resisted possession  of  this  iiniK)rtant  fortress,  (Noveinl)er  25), 
which  had  lx»en  the  immediate  occasion  of  the  existinj^  war ; 
and,  in  compliment  to  the  great  statesman  whose  administra- 
tion had  already  given  a  new  complexion  to  the  fortune  of  tluir 
country  and  brought  back  departed  victory  to  her  side,  they 
V)estowed  upon  it  the  name  of  Fort  Pitt.  No  scHiiier  was  tlie 
British  Hag  holjted  on  its  walls,  than  depuiaticms  arrived  from 
the  numerous  rihes  of  the  Ohio  Indians,  tendering  tiieir  adiier- 
ence  and  submiiision  to  tlie  victors.  With  the  assistance  of 
some  of  these  Indians,  a  party  of  British  soldiers  were  sent  to 
explore  the  thickets  where  Braddock  was  attacked,  and  to  be- 
stow the  rites  of  sepulture  on  the  bones  of  their  countrymen 
which  yet  strewed  the  ground.  Forbes,  having  concluded  treiv 
ties  of  friendship  with  the  Indians,  left  a  garrison  of  provincialB 
in  the  fort,  and  was  reconducting  his  troops  to  Philadelphia, 
when  he  died,  worn  out  by  the  ceaseless  and  overwhelming 
fatigues  he  had  undergone. 

The  last  important  event  of  this  indecisive  campaign  was 
the  repulse  of  the  French  and  Indians  in  an  attack  upon  a  settle- 
ment on  the  frontier  of  Now  England.  These  attempts  to  ra- 
vage the  country  were  defeated  by  the  exertions  of  Governor 
Pownall.  The  campaign  was  not,  upon  the  whole,  satisfactory 
to  the  British.  More  might  have  been  done  with  the  means 
at  command.  But  the  capture  of  two  of  the  principal  French 
posts  and  the  consequent  establishment  of  peace  with  the  tribes 
in  their  vicinity,  were  important  gains,  which  had  an  animating 
eflfect  on  the  colonists. 

The  plan  for  the  campaign  of  1759  was  now  concerted.  It 
was  arranged  that  three  powerful  armies  should  enter  Canada 
by  different  routes,  and  attack,  at  about  the  same  time,  nearly 
all  the  strongholds  of  the  French.  At  the  head  of  one  division 
of  the  army,  consisting  principally  of  English  troops,  and  aided 
by  an  English  fleet,  General  Wolfe,  who  had  gained  so  much 
distinction  at  the  recent  siege  of  Louisbourg,  was  to  ascend  the 
river  St.  Lawrence,  as  soon  as  its  navigation  should  cease  to  be 
obstructed  by  ice,  and  attempt  the  siege  of  Quebec,  the  capital 
of  Canada.  General  Amherst,  the  commander-in-chief,  was  to 
march  against  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point,  and  after  reducing 


ii 


•I 


ill  I 


148 


THE   SETEN   YEARS     TVAU. 


nriNS   OP   FORT   TICOSDF.ROOA. 


these  places,  and  establishing  a  naval  force  on  Lake  Champlain, 
was  t )  penetrate,  by  the  way  of  Richelieu  river  and  the  St. 
Lawrence,  to  Quebec,  in  order  to  form  a  junction  with  the  forces 
of  Wolfe.  The  third  array,  conducted  by  General  Prideaux, 
and  consisting  chiefly  of  provincials,  reinforced  by  a  strong  body 
of  friendly  Indians,  assembled  by  the  influence  and  placed 
under  the  special  command  of  Sir  William  Johnson,  was  to  at- 
tack the  French  fort  near  the  Falls  of  Niagara,  wliich  com- 
manded, in  a  manner,  all  the  interior  parts  of  North  America, 
and  was  a  key  to  the  whole  continent.  As  soon  as  this  fort 
should  be  carried,  Prideaux  was  to  embark  on  Lake  Ontario, 
descend  the  river  St.  Lawrence,  m.ake  himself  master  of  Mont- 
real, and  then  unite  his  forces  with  those  of  Wolfe  and  Am- 
herst. General  Stanwix  commanded  a  smaller  detachment  of 
troops,  which  was  employed  in  reducing  the  French  forts  on 
the  Ohio,  and  scouring  the  banks  of  Lake  Ontario.  It  was 
expected,  that,  if  Prideaux's  operations,  in  addition  to  their  own 
immediate  object,  should  not  facilitate  either  of  th^  two  other 


li'      >  I 


THE   SEVEN  YEARS    WAR. 


149 


of 

on 

vas 

wn 

her 


capital  undertakings,  it  would  probably  (as  Niagara  was  the 
most  important  post  which  the  enemy  possessed  in  this  quarter 
of  America)  induce  the  French  to  draw  together  all  their  troops 
which  were  stationed  on  the  borders  of  the  lakes  in  order  to 
attempt  its  relief,  which  would  leave  the  forts  on  these  lakes 
exposed ;  and  this  effect  was  actually  produced. 

Early  in  the  spring,  Amherst  transferred  his  head-quarters 
from  New  York  to  Albany,  where  his  troops,  amounting  to 
twelve  thousand  men,  were  assembled  in  the  end  of  May ;  yet 
the  summer  was  far  advanced  before  the  state  of  his  prepara- 
tions enabled  him  to  cross  Lake  George ;  and  it  was  not  till  the 
close  of  July,  that  he  reached  Ticonderoga.  At  first  the  enemy 
seemed  determined  to  defend  this  fortress,  and  Colonel  Town- 
send,  a  brave  and  accomplished  English  officer,  who  advanced 
to  reconnoitre  it,  was  killed  by  a  cannon-ball.  But  perceiving 
the  determined  yet  cautious  resolution,  and  the  overwhelming 
force,  with  which  Amherst  was  preparing  to  undertake  the 
siege,  and  having  received  strict  orders  to  retreat  from  post  to 
post  towards  the  centre  of  operations  at  Quebec,  rather  than 
incur  the  risk  of  being  made  prisoners,  the  garrison,  a  few  days 
after,  dismantled  a  part  of  the  fortifications,  and,  evacuating 
Ticonderoga  during  the  night,  retired  to  Crown  Point.  Am- 
herst, directly  occupying  the  important  post  thus  abandoned, 
which  effectually  covered  the  frontiers  of  New  York  and  secured 
himself  a  safe  retreat,  caused  the  works  to  be  repaired,  and 
allotted  a  strong  garrison  for  its  defence.  Thence  advancing  to 
Crown  Point,  with  a  cautious  and  guarded  circumspection  which 
the  event  showed  to  have  been  unnecessary,  but  which  he  was 
induced  to  observe  by  remembering  how  fatal  a  confident  secu- 
rity had  proved  to  other  British  commanders  in  this  quarter  of 
the  world,  he  took  possession  of  this  fortress  with  the  same 
facility  which  attended  his  first  acquisition,  in  consequence  of  a 
farther  retrogression  of  the  enemy,  who  retired  from  his  ap- 
proach and  intrenched  themselves  in  a  fort  at  Isle-aux-Noix,  on 
the  northern  extremity  of  Lake  Champlain.  At  this  place  the 
French,  as  he  was  informed,  had  collected  three  thousand  five 
hundred  men,  with  a  numerous  train  of  artillery,  and  possessed 
the  additional  resource  of  four  large  armed  vessels  on  the  lake. 
Amherst  exerted  the  utmost  activity  to  create  a  naval  force. 
19  N 


150 


THE   SEVEN  YEARS    TVAR. 


'i 


without  which  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  attack  the  enemy's 
position ;  and  with  a  sloop  and  a  radeau,  which  were  built  with 
great  despatch,  he  succeeded  in  destroying  two  of  their  ves- 
sels,— an  achievement,  in  which  the  bold,  adventurous  spirit 
of  Putnam  was  conspicuously  displayed ;  but  a  succession  of 
storms,  and  the  advanced  season  of  the  year,  compelled  him  re- 
luctantly to  postpone  the  farther  prosecution  of  his  scheme  of 
operations.  He  established  his  troops  in  winter  quarters  at 
Crown  Point,  in  the  end  of  October,  and  confined  his  attention 
to  strengthening  the  works  of  this  fortress  and  of  Ticonderoga. 
Thus  the  first  of  the  three  simultaneous  expeditions  embraced 
in  the  plan  of  this  year's  campaign,  though  attended  with  suc- 
cessful and  important  consequences,  failed  to  produce  the  full 
result  which  had  been  anticipated  by  its  projectors.  Amherst, 
so  far  from  being  able  to  penetrate  into  Canada  and  form  a 
junction  with  Wolfe,  was  unable  to  maintain  the  slightest  com- 
munication with  him ;  and  only  by  a  letter  from  Montcalm,  in 
relation  to  an  exchange  of  prisoners,  obtained  information  that 
Wolfe  was  besieging  Quebec.  With  the  army  which  undertook 
the  siege  of  Niagara,  indeed,  his  communication  was  uninter- 
rupted ;  and  intelligence  of  its  success  had  reached  him  before 
he  advanced  from  Ticonderoga  against  Crown  Point. 

While  Amherst's  army  was  thus  employed,  General  Prideaux, 
with  his  European,  American,  and  Indian  troops,  embarking 
on  Lake  Ontario,  advanced  without  loss  or  opposition  to  the 
fortress  at  Niagara,  which  he  reached  about  the  middle  of  July, 
and  promptly  invested  on  all  sides.  He  was  conducting  his 
approaches  with  great  vigour,  when,  on  the  twentieth  of  the 
month,  during  a  visit  he  made  to  the  trenches,  he  lost  his  life 
by  the  unfortunate  bursting  of  a  cohom.  Amherst  was  no 
sooner  informed  of  this  accident,  than  he  detached  General  Gage 
from  Ticonderoga  to  assume  the  command  of  Prideaux's  army ; 
but  it  devolved,  in  the  mean  time,  upon  Sir  William  Johnson, 
who  exercised  it  with  a  success  that  added  a  new  laurel  to  the 
honours  which  already  adorned  his  name.  The  enemy,  alarmed 
with  the  apprehension  of  losing  a  post  of  such  importance,  re- 
solved to  make  an  effort  for  its  relief  From  their  forts  of 
Detroit,  Venango,  and  Presque  Isle,  they  drew  together  a  force 
of  twelve  hundred  men,  which,  with  a  troop  of  Indian  auxilia- 


THE   SEVEN  YEARS     WAR. 


151 


ries,  were  detached  under  the  command  of  an  officer  named 
D'Aubry,  with  the  purpose  of  raising  the  siege  or  reinforcing 
the  garrison  of  Niagara.  Johnson,  who  had  been  pushing  the 
siege  even  more  vigorously  than  his  predecessor,  learning  the 
design  of  the  French  to  relieve  the  garrison,  made  instant  pre- 
paration to  intercept  it.  As  they  approached,  he  ordered  his 
light  infantry,  supported  by  a  body  of  grenadiers  and  other  re- 
gulars, to  occupy  the  road  from  Niagara  Falls  to  the  fortress, 
by  which  the  enemy  were  advancing,  and  covered  his  flanks 
with  numerous  troops  of  his  Indian  allies.  At  the  same  time, 
he  posted  a  strong  detachment  of  men  in  his  trenches,  to  pre- 
vent any  sally  from  the  garrison  during  the  approaching 
engagement.  About  nine  in  the  morning  (July  24),  the  two 
armies  being  in  sight  of  each  other,  the  Indians  attached  to  the 
English,  advancing,  proposed  a  conference  with  their  country, 
men,  who  served  under  the  French  banners ;  but  the  proposition 
was  declined.  The  French  Indians  having  raised  the  fierce, 
wild  yell  called  the  war-whoop,  which  by  this  time  had  lost  its 
appalling  effect  en  ^  ?  British  soldiers,  the  action  began  by  an 
impetuous  attack  >  \.  che  enemy ;  and  while  the  neighbouring 
cataract  of  Niagarij,  pealed  forth  to  inattentive  ears  its  everlast- 
ing voice  of  many  tvaters,  the  roar  of  artillery,  the  shrieks  of  the 
Indians,  and  all  the  martial  clang  and  dreadful  revelry  of  a 
field  of  battle,  mingled  in  wild  chorus  with  the  majestic  music 
of  nature.  The  French  conducted  their  attack  with  the  utmost 
courage  and  spirit,  but  were  encountered  with  such  firm,  deli- 
berate valour  in  front  by  the  British  regulars  and  provincials,, 
and  so  severely  galled  on  their  flanks  by  the  Indians,  that  in 
less  than  an  hour  their  army  was  completely  routed,  their 
general  with  all  his  officers  taken  prisoners,  and  the  fugitives 
from  the  field  pursued  with  great  slaughter  for  many  miles 
through  the  woods.  This  was  the  second  victory  gained  in  the 
course  of  the  present  war  by  Sir  William  Johnson,  a  man  who 
had  received  no  military  education,  and  whose  fitness  for  com- 
mand was  derived  solely  from  natural  courage  and  sagacity. 
Both  his  victories  were  signalized  by  the  capture  of  the  enemy's 
commanders.  On  the  morning  after  the  battle,  Johnson  sent 
an  officer  to  communicate  the  result  of  it  to  the  commandant 
of  the  garrison  of  Fort  Niagara,  and  recommend  an  immediate 


152 


THE  SEVEN  TEARS    WAR. 


I- 


} 

I 


surrender  before  more  blood  was  shed,  and  while  it  was  yet  in 
his  power  to  restrain  the  barbarity  of  the  Indians ;  and  the 
commandant,  having  ascertained  the  truth  of  the  tidings,  capi- 
tulated without  farther  delay.     The   garrison,  consisting  of 
between  six  and  seven  hundred  effective  men,  marched  out 
with  the  honours  of  war,  and  were  conveyed  prisoners  to  New 
York.     They  were  allowed  to  retain  their  baggage,  and,  by 
proper  escort,  were  protected  from  the  ferocity  and  rapacity  of 
the  Indians.     Though  eleven  hundred  of  these  savages  (chiefly 
of  the  confederacy  of  the  Six  Nations)  followed  Johnson  to 
Niagara,  so  effectually  did  he  restrain  them,  that  not  an  incident 
occurred  to  rival  or  retaliate  the  scenes  at  Oswego  and  Fort 
William  Henry.     The  women,  of  whom  a  considerable  number 
were  found  at  Fort  Niagara,  were  sent,  at  their  own  request, 
with  their  children  to  Montreal ;  and  the  sick  and  wounded, 
who  could  not  sustain  the  fatigue  of  removal,  were  treated  with 
humane  attention.     Although  the  army  by  which  this  success 
was  achieved,  whether  from  ignorance  of  the  result  of  Wolfe's 
enterprise,  or  from  some  other  cause  more  easily  conjectured 
than    ascertained,  made  no  attempt  to  pursue   the   ulterior 
objects  which  had  been  assigned  to  its  sphere  of  operation,  and 
so  far  failed  to  fulfil  its  expected  share  of  the  campaign  ;  yet 
the  actual  result  of  its  exertions  was  gratifying  and  important 
in  no  ordinary  degree.     The  reduction  of  Niagara  c  ffectually 
interrupted  the  communication,  so  much  dreaded  by  the  Eng- 
lish, between  Canada  and  Louisiana  ;  and  by  this  blow,  one  of 
the  grand  designs  of  the  French,  which  had  long  threatened  to 
produce  war,  and  which  finally  contributed  to  provoke  the 
present  contest,  was  completely  defeated. 

General  Wolfe,  meanwhile,  was  engaged  in  that  capital 
enterprise  of  the  campaign  which  aimed  at  the  reduction  of 
Quebec.  The  army  which  he  conducted,  amounting  to  eight 
thousand  men,  having  embarked  at  Louisbourg,  under  convoy 
of  an  English  squadron  commanded  by  Admiral  Saunders  and 
Holmes,  after  a  successful  voyage,  disembarked,  in  the  end  of 
June,  on  the  Isle  of  Orleans,  a  large,  fertile  island,  surrounded 
by  the  waters  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  situated  a  little  below 
Quebec,  well  cultivated,  producing  plenty  of  grain,  and  abound- 
ing with  inhabitants,  villages,  and  plantations.     Soon  after  his 


THE  SEVEN   YEAHS'   WAR. 


153 


landing,  Wolfe  distributed  a  mttnilbsto  among  the  French 
colonists,  acquainting  them  that  the  king,  his  master,  justly 
exasperated  against  the  French  monarch,  had  equipped  a 
powerful  armament  in  order  to  huinbio  his  pride,  and  was  deter- 
mined to  reduce  the  most  considerable  settlements  of  France  in 
America.  He  declared  that  it  wa«  not  against  industrious 
peasants  and  their  families,  nor  agahiMt  the  ministers  of  religion, 
that  he  desired  or  intended  to  make  war ;  on  the  contrary,  he 
lamented  the  misfortu  as  to  which  they  were  exposed  by  the 
quarrel ;  he  offered  them  his  protection,  and  promised  to  main- 
tain them  in  their  temporal  poHMUHsions,  as  well  as  in  the  free 
exercise  of  their  religion,  provided  they  would  remain  quiet,  and 
abstain  from  participation  iu  the  et)ntrover8y  between  the  two 
crowns.  The  English,  he  proclaimed,  were  masters  of  the  river 
St.  Lawrence,  and  could  thus  intercept  Jill  succours  from  France ; 
and  they  had  besides  the  prospect  of  a  speedy  reinforcement 
from  the  army  which  General  AiuherMt  was  conducting  to  form 
a  junction  with  them.  The  line  of  conduct  which  the  Cana- 
dians ought  to  pursue,  he  affirmed,  was  neither  difficult  nor 
doubtful;  since  the  utmost  exertion  of  their  valour  must  be 
useless,  and  could  serve  only  to  deprive  them  of  the  advantages 
which  they  might  reap  from  their  neutrality.  He  protested 
that  the  cruelties  already  exercised  by  the  French  upon  the 
subjects  of  Great  Britain  in  America,  would  sanction  the  most 
severe  reprisals;  but  that  Britons  were  too  generous  to  follow 
such  barbarous  example.  While  ho  tendered  to  the  Canadians 
the  blessings  of  peace  amidst  the  horrors  of  war,  and  left  them 
by  their  own  conduct  to  determine  their  own  late,  he  expressed 
his  hope  that  the  world  would  do  him  justice,  and  acquit  him 
of  blame,  should  the  objects  of  his  solicitude,  by  rejecting  these 
favourable  terms,  oblige  him  to  have  recourse  to  measures  of 
violence  and  severity.  Having  expatiated  on  the  strength  and 
power  of  Britain,  whose  indignation  they  might  provoke,  he 
urged  them  to  recognise  the  generosity  with  which  she  now 
held  forth  the  hand  of  humanity,  and  tendered  to  them  for- 
bearance and  protection,  at  the  very  time  when  France,  by  her 
weakness,  was  compelled  to  abandon  them.  This  proclamation 
produced  no  immediate  eflect ;  nor,  indeed,  did  the  Canadians 
place  much  dependence  on  the  assurances  of  a  people  whom 

n2 


1&4 


THE   SEVEN  TEARS*   WAR. 


n 


St 


their  priests  industriously  represented  to  them  as  the  fiercest 
and  most  faithless  enemy  upon  earth.  Possessed  with  these 
notions,  they  disregarded  the  offered  protection  of  Wolfe,  and, 
abandoning  their  habitations,  joined  the  scalping  parties  of  the 
Indians  who  skulked  among  the  woods,  and  butchered  with  the 
most  inhuman  barbarity  all  the  English  stragglers  they  could 
surprise.  Wolfe,  in  a  letter  to  Montcalm,  remonstrated  against 
these  atrocities  as  contrary  to  the  rules  of  war  between  civilized 
nations,  and  dishonourable  to  the  service  of  France.  But  either 
the  authority  of  Montcalm  was  not  sufficient,  or  it  was  not 
exerted  with  sufficient  energy,  to  bridle  the  ferocity  of  the 
savages ;  who  continued  to  scalp  and  butcher  with  such  increase 
of  appetite  for  blood  and  revenge,  that  Wolfe,  in  the  hope  of 
intimidating  the  enemy  into  a  cessation  of  this  style  of  hostility, 
judged  it  expedient  to  connive  at  some  retaliatory  outrages,  from 
which  the  nobleness  of  his  disposition  would  otherwise  have 
revolted  with  abhorrence. 

From  his  position  in  the  Isle  of  Orleans,  the  English  com- 
mander had  a  distinct  view  of  the  danger  and  difficulty  by  which 
his  enterprise  was  obstructed.  Quebec  is  chiefly  built  on  a 
steep  rock  on  the  northern  bank  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  and' addi- 
tionally defended  by  the  river  St.  Charles,  which,  flowing  past 
it  on  the  east,  unites  with  the  St.  Lawrence  immediately  below 
the  town,  and  consequently  encloses  it  in  a  peninsular  locality. 
Besides  its  natural  barriers,  the  city  was  tolerably  fortified  by 
art,  secured  with  a  numerous  garrison,  and  plentifully  supplied 
with  provisions  and  ammunition.  In  the  St.  Charles,  v/hose 
channel  is  rough,  and  whose  borders  are  intersected  with  ravines, 
there  were  several  armed  vessels  and  floating  batteries ;  and  a 
boom  was  drawn  across  its  mouth.  On  the  eastern  banK  of 
this  stream,  a  formidable  body  of  French  troops,  strongly  in- 
trenched, extended  their  encampment  along  the  shore  of  Beau- 
fort to  the  falls  of  the  river  Montmorency,  having  their  rear 
covered  by  an  impenetrable  forest.  At  the  head  of  this  army 
was  the  skilful,  experienced,  and  intrepid  Montcalm,  the  able.st 
commander  that  France  had  employed  in  America  since  the 
death  of  Count  Frontignac,  and  who,  though  possessed  of  forces 
superior  in  number  to  the  invaders,  prudently  determined  to 
stand  on  the  defensive,  and  mainly  depend  on  the  natural 


THE  SEVEN  TEARS*  WAR. 


155 


Strength  of  the  country,  which,  indeed,  appeared  almost  insur- 
mountable. He  had  lately  reinforced  his  troops  with  five  bat 
talions  embodied  from  the  flower  of  the  colonial  population ;  he 
had  trained  to  arms  all  the  neighbouring  inhabitants,  and  col- 
lected around  him  a  numerous  band  of  the  most  ancient  and 
attached  Indian  allies  of  France.  To  undertake  the  siege  of 
Quebec,  against  such  opposing  force,  was  not  only  a  deviation 
from  the  established  maxims  of  war,  but  a  rash  and  xomantic 
enterprise.  But  great  actions  are  commonly  transgressions  of 
ordinary  rules ;  and  Wolfe,  though  fully  awake  to  the  hazard 
and  difficulty  of  the  achievement,  was  not  to  be  deterred  from 
attempting  it. 

Resolved  to  attempt  whatever  was  practicable  for  the  reduc- 
tion of  Quebec,  Wolfe  took  possession,  after  a  successful  skirmish, 
of  Point  Levi,  on  the  southern  bank  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  and 
there  erected  batteries  against  the  1  wn ;  but  his  fire  from  this 
position,  though  it  destroyed  many  houses,  made  little  impres- 
sion upon  the  works,  which  were  too  strong  and  too  remote  to 
be  essentially  affected  by  it,  and,  ai.  the  same  time,  too  elevated 
to  be  reached  by  a  cannonade  from  the  ships  of  war.  Perceiv- 
ing that  his  artillery  could  not  be  efficiently  exerted  except 
from  batteries  constructed  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  St.  Law- 
rence, Wolfe  soon  decided  on  more  daring  and  impetuous  mea- 
sures. The  northern  shore  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  to  a  con- 
siderable extent  above  Quebec,  is  so  rocky  and  precipitous, 
as  to  render  a  landing,  in  the  face  of  an  enemy,  impracticable. 
An  offensive  attempt  below  the  town,  though  less  imprudent, 
was  confronted  by  formidable  obstructions.  Even  if  the  river 
Montmorency  were  passed,  and  the  French  driven  from  their 
intrenchments,  the  St.  Charles  must  still  present  a  new  and  less 
superable  barrier  against  the  assailants.  Wolfe,  acquainted 
with  every  obstacle,  but  hercically  observing  that  "  a  victorious 
army  finds  no  difficulties,"  resolved  to  pass  the  Montmorency 
and  bring  Montcalm  to  an  engagement.  For  this  purpose,  thir- 
teen companies  of  English  grenadiers  and  a  part  of  the  second 
battalion  of  royal  Americans  were  landed  at  the  mouth  of  that 
river,  while  two  divisions  under  Generals  Townsend  and  Mur- 
ray, prepared  to  cross  it  by  a  ford  which  was  discovered  farther 
up  the  stream.   Wolfe's  plan  was  to  attack,  in  the  first  instance. 


156 


THE   SEVEN  TEARS    WAR. 


I'-    i!l 


a  redoubt  close  to  the  water's  edge,  and  apparently  beyond 
reach  of  shot  from  the  enemy's  intrenchments,  in  the  hope  that 
the  French,  by  attempting  to  support  that  fortification,  would 
enable  him  to  bring  on  a  general  engagement ;  or  that,  if  they 
should  submit  to  the  loss  of  the  redoubt,  he  could  thence  take 
an  accurate  survey  of  their  position,  and  regulate  with  advan- 
tage his  subsequent  operations.  On  the  approach  of  the  British 
troops,  the  redoubt  was  evacuated ;  and  Wolfe,  observing  some 
confusion  in  the  French  camp,  instantly  changed  his  original 
plan,  and  determined  to  attack  the  hostile  intrenchments  with- 
out farther  delay.  Townsend  and  Murray  were  now  com- 
manded to  hold  their  divisions  in  readiness  for  fording  the 
river,  and  the  grenadiers  and  royal  Americans  were  directed  to 
form  on  the  beach,  and  await  there  the  reinforcement  which 
was  requisite  to  sustain  their  exertions ;  but,  flushed  with  ardour 
and  negligent  of  support,  these  troops  made  a  precipitate  charge 
upon  the  enemy's  intrenchments,  where  they  were  received 
with  so  steady  and  sharp  a  fire  from  the  French  musketry,  that 
they  were  presently  thrown  into  disorder,  and  compelled  to 
take  refuge  in  the  abandoned  redoubt.  Here  it  proved,  un- 
expectedly, that  they  were  still  exposed  to  an  effective  fire  from 
the  enemy,  and  several  brave  officers,  exposing  their  persons  in 
attempting  to  reform  and  rally  the  troops,  were  killed.  A 
thunder-storm,  which  now  broke  out,  contributed  to  baffle  the 
efforts  of  the  British,  without  depressing  the  spirit  of  the 
French,  who  continued  to  fire,  not  only  upon  the  troops  in  the 
redoubt,  but  on  those  who  were  lying  wounded  and  disabled  on 
the  field,  near  their  own  intrenchments.  The  English  general, 
finding  that  his  plan  of  attack  was  completely  disconcerted, 
ordered  his  troops  to  repass  the  river  and  return  to  the  Isle  of 
Orleans.  Besides  the  mortifying  check  which  he  had  received, 
he  lost,  in  this  rash,  ill-considered  attempt,  nearly  five  hundred 
of  the  bravest  men  in  his  army. 

Some  experience,  however,  though  dearly  bought,  had  been 
gained ;  and  Wolfe — now  assured  of  the  impracticability  of  ap- 
proaching Quebec  on  the  side  of  the  Montmorency,  while  Mont- 
calm retained  his  station,  which  he  seemed  determined  to  do, 
till,  from  the  advance  of  the  season,  the  elements  should  lend 
their  aid  in  destroying  the  invaders — detached  General  Murray, 


THE    SEVEN    TEARS     WAR. 


1G7 


jen 
lap- 
Jnt^ 
Ido, 
jnd 


with  twelve  hundred  men  in  transports,  to  co-operate  with 
Admiral  Holmes  above  the  town  in  an  attempt  upon  the  French 
shipping,  and  to  distract  the  enemy  by  descents  on  the  banks 
of  the  river.  (August  25.)  After  twice  endeavouring  without 
success  to  land  on  the  northern  shore,  Murray,  by  a  sudden 
descent  which  he  accomplished  at  Chamboud,  gained  the  oppor- 
tunity of  destroying  a  valuable  magazine,  filled  with  clothing, 
arms,  ammunition,  and  provisions ;  but  the  French  ships  were 
secured  in  such  a  manner  as  to  defy  the  approach  either  of  the 
fleet  or  the  army.  On  his  return  to  the  British  camp,  he 
brought  the  consolatory  intelligence,  obtained  from  his  prisoners, 
that  Fort  Niagara  was  taken ;  that  Ticonderoga  and  Crown 
Point  had  been  occupied  without  resistance;  and  that  General 
Amherst  was  making  preparations  to  attack  the  enemy  at 
Isle-aux-Noix.  The  camp  of  the  Isle  of  Orlea;  is  was  abandoned ; 
and  the  whole  army  having  embarked  on  board  the  fleet,  a 
part  of  it  was  landed  at  Point  Levi,  and  a  part  at  ^.  spot 
farther  up  the  river.  Admiral  Holmes,  meanwhile,  for  seveicl 
days  successively,  manoeuvred  with  his  fleet  in  a  manner  cal- 
culated to  engage  the  attention  of  the  enemy  on  the  northern 
shore,  and  draw  their  observation  as  far  as  possible  from  the 
city.  These  movements  had  no  other  effect  thaii  to  induce 
Montcalm  to  detach  fifteen  hundred  men,  under  the  command 
of  Bougainville,  one  of  his  ofiicers,  from  the  main  ci^mp,  to 
watch  the  motions  of  the  English  fleet  and  army,  and  prevent 
a  landing  from  being  accomplished. 

Wolfe  was  now  confined  to  bed  by  a  severe  fit  ol  the  disease 
under  which  he  laboured,  aggravated  by  incessant  fatigue  and 
by  the  anxiety  inseparable  from  a  combination  of  difficulties 
sufficient  to  have  appalled  the  stoutest  courage  and  perplexed 
the  most  resolute  and  intelligent  commander.  In  this  situation, 
his  three  brigadier-generals,  whom  he  invited  to  concert  some 
plan  of  operations,  projected  and  proposed  to  him  a  daring 
enterprise,  of  which  the  immediate  object  was  to  gain  possession 
of  the  lofty  eminences  beyond  Quebec,  where  the  enemy's  forti- 
fications were  comparatively  slight.  It  was  proposed  to  land 
the  troops  by  night  under  the  Heights  of  Abraham,  at  a  small 
distance  from  the  city,  and  to  scale  the  summit  of  these  heights 
before  daybreak.  This  attempt  manifestly  involved  extreme 
20 


'.a 


158 


THE  SEVEN  TEARS    TVAR. 


difficulty  and  hazard.  The  stream  was  rapid,  the  shore  shelving, 
the  bank  of  the  river  lined  with  French  sentinels,  the  landing- 
place  so  narrow  as  easily  to  Ije  niLssed  in  the  dark,  and  the 
clift'  which  must  afterwards  be  surmounted  so  steep  that  it  was 
difficult  to  ascend  it  even  in  open  day  and  without  opposition. 
Should  the  design  be  promulgated  by  a  spy  or  deserter,  or 
suspected  by  tho  enemy ;  should  the  disembarkation  be  dis- 
ordered, through  the  darkness  of  the  night,  or  the  obstructions 
of  the  shore ;  the  landing-place  be  mistaken,  or  but  one  sentinel 
alarmed, — 'the  Heights  of  Abraham  would  instantly  be  covered 
with  such  numbers  of  troops  as  would  render  the  attempt 
abortive  and  defeat  inevitable. 

The  necessary  orders  having  been  communicated,  and  the 
preparatory  arrangements  completed,  the  whole  fleet,  upon  the 
12th  of  September,  moved  up  the  river  several  leagues  above 
the  spot  allotted  for  the  assault,  and  at  various  intervening 
places  made  demonstrations  of  an  intention  of  landing  the 
troops ;  as  if  the  movement  had  been  merely  experimental,  and 
no  decisive  purpose  of  attack  were  yet  entertained.  But,  an 
hour  after  midnight,  the  troops  were  embarked  in  flat-bottomed 
boats,  which,  aided  by  the  tide  and  the  stream,  driitod  with  all 
possible  caution  down  the  river  towards  the  intended  place  of 
disembarkation.  They  were  obliged  to  keep  close  to  the 
northern  shore,  in  order  to  diminish  the  danger  of  passing  the 
landing  place  (which,  nevertheless,  very  nearly  happened)  in 
the  dark ;  and  yet  escaped  the  challenge  of  all  the  French  sen- 
tinels exept  one  or  two,  whose  vigilance,  however,  was  baffled 
by  the  presence  of  mind  and  ingenuity  with  which  a  Scotch 
officer  replied  to  the  call,  and  described  the  force  to  which  he 
belonged  as  a  part  of  Bougainville's  troops  employed  in  explor- 
ing the  state  of  the  river  and  motions  of  the  English.  Silence 
was  commanded  under  pain  of  death,  which  was,  indeed,  doubly 
menaced;  and  a  death-like  stillness  was  preserved  in  every 
boat.  A  detachment  of  Scotch  Highlanders  Mind  of  light  in- 
fantry, commanded  by  Colonel  Howe  (brother  of  the  nobleman 
who  perished  at  Ticonderoga)  led  the  way  up  the  dangt'v  ns 
cliflf,  which  was  ascended  by  the  aid  of  the  rugged  projection  of 
the  rocks  and  the  branches  of  some  bushes  and  plants  that  pro- 
truded from  their  crevices.     The  rest  of  the  troops,  emulating 


THE  SEVEN   YEARS*   WAR. 


159       ' 


WULFE'S  ARMY  ASCENDING  THB   HEIGHTS   OT  ABRAHAM. 

this  gallant  and  skilful  example,  followed  their  comrades  up  the 
narrow  path ;  and  by  break  of  day,  the  whole  army  reached 
the  summit.     (September  13.) 

When  Montcalm  received  intelligence  that  the  British  force, 
which  he  supposing  wandering  on  the  river,  had  sprung  up  like  a 
mine  on  the  summit  of  the  Heights  of  Abraham,  he  could  not 
at  first  credit  the  full  import  of  the  tidings.  Accounting  it  im- 
possible that  a  whole  army  had  ascended  such  a  rugged  and 
abrupt  precipice,  he  concluded  that  the  demonstration  was 
merely  a  feint,  undertaken  by  a  small  detachment,  in  order  to 
induce  him  to  abandon  the  position  he  had  hithert )  maintained. 
Convinced,  however,  by  farther  observation,  of  his  mistake,  he 
conceived  that  an  engagement  could  no  longer  be  avoided  j  and 


' 


160 


THE   SEVEN  YEARS    WAR. 


f 


instantly  quitting  his  camp  at  Montnioroncy,  crossed  the  river 
St.  Charles,  with  the  purpose  of  attacking  the  English  army. 
In  thus  consenting  to  give  battle,  Montcalm  was  rather  con- 
loundcd  by  the  genius  and  daring  than  overruled  by  the  actual 
success  and  position  of  his  adversary.  Had  he  retired  into 
Quebec,  he  might,  especially  at  such  an  advanced  period  of  the 
year,  and  with  so  numerous  a  garrison,  have  securely  defied  a 
siege.  Wolfe,  observing  the  movement  of  the  enemy,  began  to 
form  his  own  line,  which  consisted  of  six  battalions  and  the  Louis- 
burg  grenadiers.  Thi>  right  wing  was  commanded  by  Monckton ; 
the  left  by  Murray ;  the  right  flank  was  covered  by  the  Louisburg 
grenadiers ;  and  the  rear  and  left  by  Howe's  light  infantry, 
which  had  shortly  before  achieved  the  easy  conquest  of  a  four-gun 
battery.  As  the  form  in  which  the  French  advanced  indicated 
the  purpose  of  outflanking  the  left  of  the  English  army.  Town- 
send  was  sent  to  this  part  of  the  line,  with  the  regiment  of 
Amherst  and  the  two  battalions  of  royal  Americans,  which  were 
formed  in  such  disposition  as  to  present  a  double  front  to  the 
enemy.  One  regiment,  drawn  up  in  eight  divisions,  with  large 
intervals,  formed  the  English  body  of  reserve.  Montcalm's  dis- 
positions for  the  attack  were  not  less  skilful  and  judicious.  The 
right  and  left  wings  of  his  army  were  composed  almost  equally 
of  European  and  of  colonial  troops ;  the  centre  consisted  of  a 
column  formed  of  two  battalions  of  regulars.  Fifteen  hundred 
Indians  and  Canadians,  expert  and  deadly  marksmen,  advanc- 
ing in  front,  and  screened  by  adjoining  thickets,  began  the 
battle.  Their  irregular  fire  proved  fatal  to  many  officers,  whom 
they  preferably  aimed  at;  but  it  was  soon  silenced  by  the 
steady  fire  of  the  British.  Both  armies  were  destitute  of  ar- 
tillery, except  two  small  pieces  on  the  side  of  the  French,  and 
a  single  gun  which  the  English  seamen  contrived  to  hoist  up 
from  the  landing  place,  and  which  they  employed  during  the 
action  with  considerable  effect. 

About  nine  in  the  morning,  the  main  body  of  the  French 
advanced  vigorously  to  the  charge,  and  the  conflict  soon  became 
general.  Montcalm  having  chosen  for  his  own  station  the  left 
of  the  French  army,  and  Wolfe,  for  his,  the  right  of  the  English, 
the  two  commanders  directly  confronted  each  other  in  the  quar- 
ter where  arose  the  hottest  encounter  of  this  memorable  day. 


THE  SEVEN   YEARS     WAR. 


161 


Tlio  English  troops  reserved  their  fire  till  the  French  were 
within  forty  yards  of  their  lino;  and  then,  hy  a  terrihle  dis- 
charge, spreatl  havoc  among  the  adverne  rankh.  Their  fire  was 
continued  with  a  vigour  and  delil)eration  which  effectually 
checked  the  advance  and  visibly  abated  the  audacity  of  the 
French.  Wolfe,  who,  early  in  the  action,  was  wounded  in  the 
wrist,  Ijetraying  no  symptom  of  pain,  wrapped  a  handkerchief 
round  his  arm,  and  continued  to  direct  and  animate  his  troops. 
Soon  after,  he  received  a  shot  in  the  groin ;  but,  concealing  the 
wound,  he  was  leading  his  grenadiers  to  the  charge,  when  a 
third  ball  pierced  his  breast,  and  brought  him  to  the  ground. 
His  troops,  incensed  rather  than  disconcerted  by  the  fill  of 
their  general,  continued  the  action,  with  unabated  vigour,  .nde; 
Monckton,  on  whom  the  command  now  devolved,  but  who  was 
soon  obligoil,  hy  a  dangerous  wound,  to  resign  it  to  Townsend. 
Montcalm,  about  the  same  time,  while  animating  the  fighi,  in 
front  of  his  battalion,  was  pierced  with  a  mortal  wound ;  and 
General  Senezergus  alpo,  the  second  in  command  on  the  same 
side,  shortly  after  fell.  While  the  fall  of  Wolfe  seemed  to  im- 
part a  higher  temper  to  the  courage  of  the  English,  and  infused 
a  spirit  in  their  ranks  that  rendered  them  superior  to  almost 
any  opposing  force,  the  loss  of  Montcalm  produced  a  contrary 
and  depressing  effect  on  the  French.  The  British  right  wing  now 
pressed  on  with  fixed  bayonets,  detennined  on  vengeance  and 
victory.  General  Murray,  at  the  same  critical  instant,  advanc- 
ing swiftly  with  the  troops  under  his  direction,  broke  the  centrQ 
of  the  French  army ;  and  their  confusion  was  completed  by  a 
charge  of  the  Highlanders,  who,  drawing  their  broadswords, 
rushed  upon  them  with  resistless  fury,  and  drove  th«  r,  with 
great  slaughter,  partly  into  Quebec,  and  partly  ovei  me  St. 
Charles.  On  the  left  of  the  British  position,  the  combat  was 
less  violent  and  sanguinary ;  but  here,  also,  the  r.  ■:  f.ack  of  the 
French  was  repulsed,  and  their  attempt  to  ou^fl  ^i-.k  the  British 
defeated.  At  this  juncture,  Bougainville,  with  a  body  of  two 
thousand  fresh  troops,  approached  the  rear  of  the  victorious 
English ;  but,  observing  the  complete  rout  and  dispersion  of 
Montcalm's  forces,  he  did  not  venture  to  attempt  a  renewal  of 
the  action.  The  victory  was  decisive.  About  a  thousand  of 
the  French  were  made  prisoners,  and  nearly  an  equal  number 

0 


'^i 


162 


THE  SEVEN  TEARS    WAR. 


DEATH    OF    WOLFE. 


' 


'4 


fell  in  the  battle  and  the  pursuit ;  of  the  remainder,  the  greater 
number,  unable  to  gain  the  shelter  of  Quebec,  retired  first  to 
Point-au-Tremble,  and  afterwards  to  Trois  Rivieres  and  jMon- 
treal.  The  loss  of  the  English,  both  in  killed  and  wounded, 
was  less  than  six  hundred  men. 

But  the  fate  of  Wolfe  was  deeply  and  universally  deplored. 
After  his  last  wound,  finding  himself  unable  to  stand,  he  leaned 
upon  the  shoulder  of  a  lieutenant,  who  sat  down  in  order  to 
support  him.  This  oflBcer,  seeing  the  French  give  way,  ex- 
claimed, "  They  run  !  they  run !"  "  Who  run  ?"  cried  Wolfe, 
with  eagerness ;  for  his  glazing  eye  could  no  longer  discern  the 
fortune  of  the  day.  Being  informed  that  it  was  the  enemy,  he 
replied  with  animation,  "  Then  I  die  happy !" — and  almost 
instantly  after  expired,  in  the  Maze  of  his  fame.  Intensely  stu- 
dious, and  3^et  promptly  and  vigorously  active;  heroically 
brave  and  determined,  adventurous  and  persevering;  of  a 


THE   SEVEN  TEARS    WAR. 


16a 


temper  lively  and  even  impetuous,  jet  never  reproached  as  vio- 
lent or  irascible ;  generous,  indulgent,  courteous,  and  humane, — 
Wolfe  was  the  pattern  of  his  officers  and  the  idol  of  his  soldiern. 
The  force  and  compass  of  his  genius  enabled  him  practically  to 
distinguish,  what  inferior  minds  ne^'er  discover  at  all,  the  dif- 
ference between  great  difficulties  and  impossibilities ;  and  being 
undiscouraged  by  what  was  merely,  however  mightily  difficult, 
he  undertook  and  achieved  what  others  would  have  accounted 
and  found  to  be  impossible.  His  life  (as  was  said  of  Sir  Philip 
Sidney)  was,  indeed,  poetry  in  action.  He  was,  for  a  time,  the 
favourite  hero  of  England  as  well  as  of  America ;  and  monu- 
mental statues,  erected  at  the  public  expense,  attested  hi« 
glory,  both  in  the  Old  World  and  the  New.  A  marl)le  statue, 
in  particular,  was  decreed  to  his  memory  by  the  Assembly  of 
Massachusetts.  His  rival,  Montcalm,  survived  him  but  a  few 
hours,  and  met  his  fate  with  the  most  undaunted  courage. 
When  he  was  informed  that  his  wound  was  mortal,  his  reply 
was,  '^  I  am  glad  to  hear  it ;"  and  when  the  near  approach  of 
death  was  announced  to  him,  he  added,  "  So  much  the  better : 
— I  shall  not,  then,  live  to  see  the  surrender  of  Quebec."  He 
was  buried,  by  his  own  direction,  in  an  excavation  tJiat  had 
been  produced  by  the  explosion  of  a  bomb.  Unfortunately  for 
his  fame,  the  extent  to  which  he  is  justly  responsible  for  the 
treacherous  cruelties  of  the  Indian  allies  of  his  countrymen,  on 
various  occasions,  still  remains  doubtful.  It  is  pretended  by 
some  English  writers,  that  Amherst  had  declared  his  purpose 
of  treating  Montcalm,  if  he  should  happen  to  take  him  alive, 
not  as  an  honourable  warrior,  but  as  a  bandit  or  robber.  But 
if  such  sentiments  were  ever  entertained,  they  were  erased  from 
the  minds  of  victorious  enemies  by  the  heroical  circumstances 
of  Montcalm's  death,  and  the  remembrance  of  his  talent  and 
intrepidity, — merits,  which  a  wise  regard  to  his  own  fame,  antl 
even  more  generous  sentiment,  must  ever  prompt  a  conqueror 
to  recognise,  and  perhaps  exaggerate,  in  a  vanquished  foe ;  and 
when,  some  time  after,  the  French  government  desired  leave 
to  erect  a  monument  to  his  memory  in  Canada,  the  request  was 
granted  by  the  English  minister,  Pitt,  in  terms  expressive  of  a 
high  admiration  of  Montcalm's  character.  Monckion  recovered 
of  his  wound  at  New  York. 


m 


V    I 


i' 


li! 


General  Townsend,  vvho  now  commanded  the  army  of  Wolfe, 
proceeded  to  fortify  his  camp,  and  to  construct  lines  and  take 
other  necessary  measures  for  the  investment  of  Quebec ;  but  his 
operations,  which   might  otherwise   have    been    greatly  pro- 
tracted, if  not  entirely  defeated,  were  happily  abridged  by  a 
proposition  of  the  garrison  within  five  days  of  the  late  victory 
to  surrender  the  place  to  the  English  forces.    (September  17.) 
The  discomfiture  of  Montcalm's  plan  of  defence,  and  the  loss  of 
this  commander,  whose  active  genius  and  despotic  authority 
had  rendered  him  not  merely  the  leader  of  the  French,  but  the 
main  spring  of  all  their  counsels  and  conduct,  seemed  to  have 
confounded  the  spirit  and  paralyzed  the  vigour  of  the  garrison, 
whose  early  surrender  excited  general  surprise,  and  was  equally 
grateful  to  their  enemies  and  mortifying  to  their  countrymen. 
The  terms  of  the  capitulation  were  the  more  favourable  for  the 
besieged,  as  the  enemy  was  assembling  a  large  force  in  the  reai 
of  the  British  army ;  as  the  season  had  become  wet,  cold,  and 
stormy,  threatening  the  troops  with  sickness  and  the  fleet  with 
danger ;  and  as  a  considerable  advantage  was  to  be  gained  from 
taking  possession  of  the  town  while  the  walls  were  yet  in  a 
defensible  condition.     It  was  stipulated,  that  the  inhabitants, 
during  the  war,  should  be  protected  in  the  free  exercise  of  their 
religion ;  their  future  political  destiny  was  left  to  be  decided  at 
the  return  of  peace.     This  treaty  occurred  very  seasonably  for 
the  British,  who  learned  immediately  after  that  the  enemy's 
army  had  rallied  and  been  reinforced  beyond  Cape  Rouge  by  two 
regular  battalions  which  General  de  Levi  had  conducted  to 
their  aid  from  Montreal;    and  that  Bougainville,  with  eight 
hundred  men  and  a  convoy  of  provisions,  was  prepared  to  throw 
himself  into  the  town  on  the  very  day  of  its  surrender.     (Sep- 
tember 18.)    The  capitulation  was  no  sooner  ratified,  than  the 
British  forces  took  possession  of  Quebec,  which,  besides  its  gar- 
rison, contained  a  population  of  ten  thousand  persons.     Next 
day,  about  a  thousand  prisoners  were  embarked  on  board  of 
transports  to  be  conveyed  to  Europe. 

The  capital  of  New  France,  thus  reduced  to  the  dominion  of 
Great  Britain,  received  a  garrison  of  five  thousand  troops  com- 
manded by  General  Murray,  whose  security  was  farther  pro^ 
moted  by  the  conduct  which  the  French  colonists  in  the  neigh- 


gency  c 
men. 

No  s 
rence, 
solved 


THE    SEVEN    TEARS     WAR. 


165 


bourhood  now  thought  proper  to  adopt ;  for  they  repaired  in 
great  numbers  to  Quebec,  and,  delivering  up  their  arms,  pledged 
themselves  by  oath  to  observe  a  strictly  passive  neutrality 
during  the  continuance  of  the  war.  The  Sritish  fleet,  shortlj^ 
after,  took  its  departure  from  the  St.  Lawrence,  carrying  with 
it  General  Townsend,  who  returned  to  England. 

The  operations  which  had  been  intrusted  to  General  Stanwix 
were  attended  with  complete  success.  By  his  conduct  and 
prudence,  the  British  interest  and  empire  were  established  so 
firmly,  to  all  appearance,  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio,  that  the 
emigrants  from  Virginia,  Maryland,  and  Pennsylvania  were 
very  soon  after  enabled  securely  to  resume  and  advantageously 
to  extent  the  settlements  in  this  quarter,  from  which  the 
French  had  expelled  them  in  the  commencement  of  the  war. 

The  inhabitants  of  North  America  eagerly  indulged  the 
hope  that  the  reduction  of  Quebec  not  only  betokened,  but 
actually  imported,  the  entire  conquest  of  Canada ;  but  they 
were  speedily  undeceived;  and,  aroused  by  the  spirited  and 
nearly  successful  attempt  of  the  French  to  retrieve  this  loss, 
they  consented  the  more  willingly  to  a  renewed  exertion  of 
their  resources  for  the  purpose  of  securing  and  improving  the 
victorious  posture  of  their  affairs.  The  New  England  levies 
this  year  (1760)  were  as  numerous  as  they  had  ever  been 
during  the  war ;  the  Virginian  levies  (augmented  by  the  emer- 
gency of  a  war  with  the  Cherokees)  amounted  to  two  thousand 
men. 

No  sooner  had  the  English  fleet  retired  from  the  St.  Law- 
rence, than  Levi,  who  succeeded  to  Montcalm's  command,  re- 
solved to  attempt  the  recovery  of  Quebec.  The  land  forces  he 
possessed  were  more  numerous  than  the  army  of  Wolfe,  by 
which  the  conquest  of  the  place  had  been  achieved,  and  he  en- 
joyed the  co-operation  of  some  frigates,  which  afforded  him  the 
entire  command  of  the  river,  as  the  English  had  imprudently 
withdrawn  every  one  of  their  vessels,  on  the  supposition  that 
they  could  not  be  useful  in  winter.  He  had  huped  that  a  sud- 
den attack  might  enable  him  to  take  Quebec  by  surprise,  during 
the  winter ;  but,  after  some  preparatory  approaches  which  were 
repulsed,  and  a  survey  which  convinced  him  that  the  outposts 
were  b  :er  secured  and  the  governor  more  active  and  a^ert 
'^  o2 


m 
I 


166 


THE   SEVEN  TEARS    WAR. 


than  he  had  expected,  he  was  induced  to  postpone  his  enter- 
prise till  the  arrival  of  the  spring.     In  the  month  of  April, 
when  the  St.  Lawrence  afforded  a  navigation  freed  from  ice,  the 
artillery,  military  stores,  and  heavy  baggage  of  the  French  were 
embarked  at  Montreal,  and  carried  down  the  river  under  the 
protection  of  six  frigates ;  and  Levi  himself,  after  a  march  of 
ten  days,  arrived  with  his  army  at  Point-au-Tremble,  within  a 
few  miles  of  Quebec.     General  Murray,  to  whom  the  preserva- 
tion of  the  English  conquest  was  intrusted,  took  prompt  and 
skilful  measures  for  its  security ;  but  his  troops  had  suffered  so 
much  from  the  extreme  cold  of  the  winter  and  the  want  of  vege- 
tables and  fresh  provisions,  that  instead  of  five  thousand,  the 
original  xiumber  of  his  garrison,  he  could  now  count  on  the 
services  of  no  more  than  three  thousand  men.     Impelled  by 
overboiling  courage,  rather  than  guided  by  sound  judgment, 
and  relying  more,  perhaps,  on  the  reputation  than  the  strength 
of  his  army,  he  determined,  with  this  once  victorious  and  still 
valiant,  though  diminished  force,  to  meet  the  enemy  in  the 
field,  although  their  numbers  amounted  to  more  than  twelve 
thousand;  and,  accordinp-ly,  marching  out  to  the  Heights  of 
Abraham,  he  attempted  to  render  this  scene  once  more  tribu- 
tary to  the  glory  of  Britain,  by  an  impetuous  assault  on  the 
neighbouring  position  of  the  French  at  Sillery.    (April  28, 
1760.)    But  his  attack  was  firmly  sustained  by  the  enemy,  and 
after  a  sharp  encounter,  finding  himself  outflanked,  and  in 
danger  of  being  surrounded  by  superior  numbers,  he  withdrew 
his  troops  from  the  action  and  retired  into  the  city.     In  this 
conflict  the  British  lost  the  greater  part  of  their  artillery  and 
nearly  a  thousand  men.     The  French,  though  their  loss  in 
killed  and  wounded  was  more  than  double  that  number,  had 
nevertheless  gained  the  victory,  which  their  general  lost  no 
time  in  improving.     On  the  evening  of  the  day  on  which  the 
battle  took  place,  Levi  opened  trenches  against  the  town ;  yet, 
in  spite  of  all  his  efforts,  it  was  not  till  the  11th  of  May  that 
his  batteries  were  so  far  advanced  as  to  commence  an  effectual 
fire  upon  the  garrison.     But  Murray  had  now,  by  indefatigable 
exertion,  in  which  he  was  assisted  with  alacrity  by  his  soldiers, 
completed  some  outworks,  and  planted  so  powerful  an  artillery 
on  the  ramparts,  that  his  fire  was  far  superior  to  that  of  the 


*^ 


THE  SEVEN  TEARS'  WAR. 


16? 


/• 


s  in 

had 

It  no 

the 

yet, 

that 
jtual 
table 
iers, 
ilery 
the 


besiegers,  and  nearly  silenced  their  batteries.  Quebec,  notwitl' 
standing,  would  most  probably  have  reverted  to  its  former 
masters,  if  an  armament  which  wan  despatched  from  France 
had  not  been  outsailed  by  a  Britiwh  Hcjuadron,  which  succeeded 
in  first  gaining  the  entrance  and  the  command  of  the  St.  Law- 
rence. The  French  frigates,  which  hod  descended  from  Mon- 
treal, were  now  attacked  by  the  British  ships,  and,  part  of  them 
having  been  destroyed,  the  rest  betook  themselves  to  a  hasty 
retreat  up  the  river.  Levi  instantly  raised  the  siege,  and, 
retiring  with  a  precipitation  that  obliged  him  to  abandon  the 
greater  part  of  his  baggage  and  artillery,  reconducted  his  forces 
(with  the  exception  of  a  party  of  Canadians  and  Indians  who 
became  disheartened  and  deserted  him  by  the  way)  to  Montreal. 
Here  the  Marquis  de  Vaudrouil,  governor-general  of  Canada, 
had  fixed  his  head-quarters,  and  determined  to  make  his  last 
stand  in  defence  of  the  French  colon iol  empire, — thus  reduced, 
from  the  attitude  of  preponderance  and  conquest  which  it  pre- 
sented two  years  before,  to  the  necessity  of  a  defensive  and  des- 
perate effort  for  its  own  preservation.  For  this  purpose 
Vaudreuil  called  in  all  his  detachments  and  collected  around 
him  the  whole  force  of  the  colony.  Though  little  chance  of 
success  remained  to  him,  he  preserved  an  intrepid  countenance, 
and  in  all  his  dispositions  displayed  the  firmness  and  foresight 
of  an  accomplished  commander.  To  support  the  drooping 
courage  of  the  Canadians  and  their  Indian  allies,  he  had  even 
recourse  to  the  artifice  of  circulating  among  them  feigned  intel- 
ligence of  the  successes  of  Franc©  in  other  quarters  of  the 
world,  and  of  her  approaching  succonr. 

Amherst,  in  the  mean  time,  was  diligently  engaged  in  con- 
certing and  prosecuting  measures  for  the  entire  conquest  of 
Canada.  During  the  winter,  ho  had  made  arrangements  for 
bringing  all  the  British  forces  from  Quebec,  Lake  Champlain, 
and  Lake  Ontario,  to  join  in  a  combined  attack  upon  Montreal. 
Colonel  Haviland,  by  his  direction,  sailing  with  a  detachment 
from  Crown  Point,  took  possession  of  Isle-aux-Noix,  which  he 
found  abandoned  by  the  enemy,  and  thence  proceeded  towards 
Montreal ;  while  Amherst,  with  his  own  division,  consisting  of 
about  ten  thousand  regulars  and  provincials,  left  the  frontiers 
of  New  York,  and  advanced  to  Oswego,  where  his  force  received 


f 


I 


:  ( 


168 


THE   SEVEN   YEARS     WAR. 


1 


the  addition  of  a  thousand  Indians  of  the  Six  Nations,  march- 
ing under  the  command  of  Sir  William  Johnson.  Embarking 
with  his  entire  army  on  Lake  Ontario,  he  reduced  the  fort  of 
Isle  Royale,  one  of  the  most  important  posts  which  the  French 
possessed  on  the  river  St.  Lawrence ;  and  thence,  after  a  diffi- 
cult and  dangerous  passage,  conducted  his  troops  to  Montreal, 
where,  on  the  very  day  of  their  arrival  (September  6,  1760), 
they  were  met  by  the  forces  commanded  by  General  Murray. 
In  his  progress  up  the  river,  Murray  distributed  proclamations 
among  the  Canadians  inhabiting  its  southern  shore,  which  pro- 
duced such  an  effect  that  almost  all  the  parishes  in  this  quarter, 
as  far  as  the  river  Sorel,  declared  their  submission  to  Britain, 
and  took  the  oath  of  neutrality ;  and  Lord  Rollo,  meanwhile, 
advancing  along  the  northern  shore,  disarmed  all  the  inhabit- 
ants as  far  as  Trois  Rivieres,  which,  though  the  capital  of  a 
large  district,  being  merely  an  open  village,  was  taken  without 
resistance.  By  a  happy  concert  in  the  execution  of  a  well 
digested  plan,  the  armies  of  Amherst  and  Murray,  on  the  day 
after  their  own  simultaneous  arrival  (September  7),  were 
joined  by  the  detachment  confided  to  Colonel  Haviland.  Am- 
herst had  already  made  preparation  for  investing  Montreal ; 
but  Vaudreuil,  perceiving,  from  the  strength  of  the  combined 
armies,  and  the  skilful  dispositions  of  their  commanders,  that 
resistance  must  be  ineffectual,  hastened  to  demand  a  capitula- 
tion; and  on  the  following  day  (September  8),  Montreal, 
Detroit,  and  all  the  other  places  of  strength  within  the  govern- 
ment of  Canada  were  surrendered  to  the  British  crown.  After 
the  capitulation.  General  Gage  was  appointed  governor  of  Mon- 
treal, with  a  garrison  of  two  thousand  men;  and  Murray 
returned  to  Quebec,  where  his  garrison  was  augmented  to  four 
thousand. 

Thus  fell  the  colonial  empire  of  France  on  the  continent  of 
North  America, — the  victim  of  overweening  ambition,  and  of 
the  rage  of  a  rival  state,  transported  by  insult  and  injury  beyond 
the  usual  channel  of  its  policy  and  the  limits  of  the  system  it 
had  hitherto  pursued.  On  the  south  of  the  Mississippi,  the  French 
still  possessed  the  infant  colony  of  Louisiana;  but  this  settle- 
ment, far  from  being  powerful  or  formidable,  was  so  thinly 
peopled  and  so  ill-conditioned,  that  it  could  scarcely  have  pre- 


i>  i'.j 


.  s 


THE   SEVEN   YEARS    WAR. 


169 


served  its  existence,  without  the  provisions  of  food  and  other 
supplies  it  obtained  by  a  contraband  trade  with  the  British 
provinces.  The  downfall  of  the  French  dominion  was  com- 
pleted by  the  fate  of  the  armament,  which  was  despatched  this 
year  from  France  for  the  assistance  of  Canada.  The  commandei 
of  this  force,  consisting  of  one  frigate  of  thirty  guns,  two  large 
store-ships,  and  nineteen  smaller  vessels,  having  ascertained 
before  his  arrival  on  the  coast  that  a  British  squadron  had 
already  sailed  up  the  St.  Lawrence,  took  refuge  in  the  Bay  of 
Chaleurs,  on  the  coast  of  Nova  Scotia.  Captain  Byron,  who 
commanded  the  British  vessels,  stationed  at  LouislK)urg,  receiv- 
ing intelligence  of  the  enemy's  position,  instantly  sailed  with 
five  ships  of  war  to  the  Bay  of  Chaleurs,  and  easily  succeeded 
in  destroying  the  hostile  armjiment,  as  well  as  in  dismantling 
two  batteries  which  the  French  had  erected  on  shore. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Carolinas  were  sufiering  from  Indian 
hostility,  instigated  by  the  French  garrison,  that  had  retreated 
from  Fort  Duquesne.  In  the  different  expeditions  against  Fort 
Duquesne,  the  Cherokees,  agreeable  to  treaty,  had  sent  con- 
siderable parties  of  warriors  to  the  assistance  of  the  British 
army.  As  the  horses  in  those  parts  run  wild  in  the  woods,  it 
was  customary,  both  among  Indians  and  white  people  on  the 
frontiers,  to  lay  hold  of  them  and  appropriate  them  to  their 
own  purposes ;  but  while  the  savages  were  returning  home 
through  the  back  parts  of  Virginia,  many  of  them  having  lost 
their  horses,  laid  hold  of  such  as  came  in  their  way,  never 
imagining  that  they  belonged  to  any  individual  in  the  pro- 
vince. The  Virginians,  however,  instead  of  asserting  their 
right  in  a  legal  way,  resented  the  injury  by  force  of  arms,  and 
killed  twelve  or  fourteen  of  the  unsuspicious  warriors,  and  took 
several  more  prisoners.  The  Cherokees,  with  reason,  were 
highly  provoked  at  such  ungrateful  usage  from  allies,  whose 
frontiers  they  had  helped  to  change  from  a  field  of  blood  into 
peaceful  habitations,  and  when  they  came  home  told  what  had 
happened  to  their  nation.  The  flame  soon  spread  through  the 
upper  towns,  and  those  who  had  lost  their  friends  and  relations 
were  implacable,  and  breathed  nothing  but  fury  and  vengeance 
against  such  perfidious  friends.  In  vain  did  the  chieftains 
interpose  their  authority ;  nothing  could  restrain  the  furious 


170 


THE  SEVEN  TEARS    "WAR. 


i 
II-     ' 


spirits  of  the  young  men,  who  were  determined  to  take  satis- 
faction f  )r  the  loss  of  their  relations.  The  emissaries  of 
France  among  them  instigated  them  to  bloodshed,  and  for  that 
purpose  furnished  them  with  arms  and  ammunition ;  and  the 
scattered  families  on  the  frontiers  of  Carolina  lay  much  exposed 
to  scalping  parties  of  these  savages. 

The  garrison  of  Fort  Loudon,  consisting  of  about  two  hundred 
men,  under  the  command  of  Captains  Demere  and  Stuart,  first 
discovered  the  ill-humour  in  which  the  Cherokee  warriors  re- 
turned from  the  northern  expedition.  The  soldiers,  as  usual, 
making  excursions  into  the  woods  to  hunt  for  fresh  provisions, 
were  attacked  by  them,  and  some  of  them  were  killed.  From 
this  time  such  dangers  threatened  the  garrison,  that  every  one 
was  confined  within  the  small  boundaries  of  the  fort ;  and  all 
communication  with  the  distant  settlement  from  which  they 
received  supplies  being  cut  off,  and  the  soldiers  being  but  poorly 
provided,  had  no  other  prospects  left  but  those  of  famine  or 
death.  Parties  of  young  Indians  took  the  field,  and  rushing 
down  among  the  settlements,  murdered  and  scalped  a  number 
of  people  on  the  frontiers. 

The  commanding  officer  at  Fort  Prince  George  having  re- 
ceived intelligence  of  these  acts  of  hostility,  despatched  a  mes- 
senger to  Charleston  to  inform  Governor  Lyttleton  that  the 
Clierokees  had  commenced  hostilities.  In  consequence  of  which, 
parties  of  the  independent  companies  were  brought  to  Charles- 
ton ;  and  the  militia  of  the  country  had  orders  to  rendezvous 
at  Congarees,  where  the  governor,  with  such  a  force  as  he  could 
procure  from  the  lower  parts,  resolved  to  join  them,  and  march 
to  the  relief  of  the  frontier  settlements. 

No  sooner  had  the  Cherokees  heard  of  these  warlike  prepa- 
rations at  Charleston,  than  32  of  their  chiefs  set  out  for  that 
place,  in  order  to  settle  all  differences,  and  prevent,  if  possible, 
a  war;  but  the  governor,  notwithstanding,  determined  that 
nothing  should  prevent  his  military  expedition,  although  Lieu- 
tenant-Governor Bull  urged  the  danger  of  a  war  at  that  time. 

A  few  days  after  holding  this  conference  with  the  chieftains, 
the  governor  set  out  for  Congarees,  the  place  of  general  rendez- 
vous for  the  militia,  and  about  140  miles  distant  from  Charles- 
ton, where  he  mustered  in  all  about  1400  men.      To   this 


man 


THE    SEVEN    YEARS     WAR. 


171 


place  the  Cherokees  marched  along  with  the  army,  and  were  to 
all  appearance  contented,  but  in  reality  burning  with  resent- 
ment. When  the  army  moved  from  the  Congarees,  the  chief- 
tains, very  unexpectedly,  were  all  made  prisoners;  and  to 
prevent  their  escape  to  the  nation,  a  captain's  guard  wavS 
mounted  over  them,  and  in  this  manner  they  were  obliged  to 
march  to  Fort  Prince  George.  And  these  thirty-two  Indians, 
upon  the  arrival  of  the  army  at  Fort  Prince  George,  were  all 
shut  up  in  a  hut,  scarcely  sufficient  for  the  accommodation  of  six 
soldiers,  where  they  very  naturally  concerted  plots  for  obtaining 
their  liberty. 

Governor  Lyttleton's  little  army  being  not  only  ill  armed  and 
disciplined,  but  also  discontented  and  mutinous,  he  judged  it 
dangerous  to  proceed  further  into  the  enemy's  country.  Having 
beforehand  sent  for  AttakullakuUa,  who  was  esteemed  both  the 
wisest  man  of  the  Creek  nation  and  the  most  steady  friend  of 
the  English,  to  meet  him  at  Fort  Prince  George,  this  warrior 
hastened  to  his  camp  from  an  excursion  against  the  French,  in 
which  he  had  taken  some  prisoners,  one  of  whom  he  presented 
to  the  governor.  Mr.  Lyttleton  knew  that  for  obtaining  a  re- 
establishment  of  peace  there  was  not  a  man  in  the  whole  nation 
better  disposed  to  assist  him  than  this  old  warrior,  though  it 
was  observed  that  he  cautiously  avoided  making  any  ofler  of 
satisfaction.  Biit  so  small  was  his  influence  among  the 
Cherokees  at  this  time,  that  they  considered  him  as  no  better 
than  an  old  woman,  on  account  of  his  attachment  to  their  Eng- 
lish enemies,  and  his  aversion  from  going  to  war  against  them. 

About  the  18th  of  December,  1 759,  the  governor  held  a  congress 
with  this  warrior,  and  ultimately  agreed  to  a  treaty  of  peace, 
drawn  up  and  signed  by  the  governor  and  six  of  the  head  men  ; 
in  which  it  was  agreed,  that  the  32  chieftains  of  the  Cherokees 
(who  had  been  taken  prisoners)  should  be  kept  as  hostages 
confined  in  the  fort,  until  the  same  number  of  Indians,  guilty 
of  murder,  should  be  delivered  up  to  the  commander-in-chief 
of  the  province ;  that  trade  should  be  opened  and  carried  on  as 
usual ;  that  the  Cherokees  should  kill,  or  take  every  French- 
man prisoner,  who  should  presume  to  come  into  their  nation 
during  the  continuance  of  the  war ;  and  that  they  should  hold 
no  intercourse  with  the  enemies  of  Great  Britain,  but  should 


172 


THE  SEVEN  TEARS     WAR. 


I 


apprehend  every  person,  white  or  red,  found  among  them,  that 
might  be  endeavouring  to  set  the  English  and  Gherokecs  at 
variance,  and  interrupt  the  friendship  and  peace  established 
between  them. 

Scarcely  had  Governor  Lyttleton  concluded  the  treaty  of  Fort 
Prince  George,  when  the  small-pox,  which  was  raging  in  an 
adjacent  Indian  town,  broke  out  in  his  camp ;  and  as  few  of  his 
little  army  had  ever  gone  through  that  distemper,  and  as  the 
surgeons  were  totally  unprovided  for  such  an  accident,  his  men 
were  struck  with  terror,  and  in  great  haste  returned  to  the 
settlements,  cautiously  avoiding  all  intercourse  one  with  another, 
and  suflfering  much  from  hunger  and  fatigue  by  the  way.  The 
governor  followed  them,  and  arrived  in  Charleston  about  the 
beginning  of  the  year  17G0.  Though  not  a  drop  of  blood  had 
been  spilt  during  the  expedition,  he  was  received  like  a  con- 
queror, with  the  greatest  demonstrations  of  joy ;  and  the  most 
flattering  addresses  were  presented  to  him  by  the  difibrent  so- 
cieties and  professions,  and  bonfires  and  illuminations  testified 
the  high  sense  the  inhabitants  entertained  of  his  merit  and 
services,  and  the  happy  consequences  which  they  believed 
would  result  from  his  expedition. 

However,  those  rejoicings  on  account  of  the  peace  were 
scarcely  over,  when  the  news  arrived  that  fresh  hostilities  had 
been  committed,  and  the  governor  was  informed  that  the 
Cherokees  had  killed  fourteen  men  within  a  mile  of  Fort  Prince 
George.  The  Indians  had  contracted  an  invincible  antipathy 
to  Captain  Coytmore,  the  officer  whom  Mr.  Lyttleton  had  left 
commander  of  that  fort ;  and  the  treatment  they  had  received 
at  Charleston,  but  especially  the  imprisonment  of  their  chiefs, 
had  now  converted  their  former  desire  of  peace  into  the  bitterest 
rage  for  war.  Occonostota,  a  chieftain  of  great  influence,  had 
become  a  most  implacable  and  vindictive  enemy  to  Carolina, 
and  determined  to  repay  treachery  with  treachery.  Having 
gathered  a  strong  party  of  Cherokees,  he  surrounded  Fort 
Prince  George,  and  compelled  the  garrison  to  keep  within  their 
works ;  but  finding  that  he  could  make  no  impression  on  the 
fort,  nor  oblige  tho  o.ommander  to  surrender,  he  contrived  the 
following  stratagem  for  the  relief  of  his  countrymen  confined 


in  it. 


\ 


lII 


THE    SEVEN    TEARS     WAR. 


173 


\ 


As  that  country  was  everywhere  covered  with  woods,  he 
placed  a  party  of  savages  in  a  dark  thicket  by  the  river  side, 
and  then  sent  an  Indian  woman,  whom  he  knew  to  be  always 
welcome  at  the  fort,  to  inform  the  commander  that  ho  had 
something  of  consequence  to  communicate  to  him,  and  would 
be  glad  to  speak  with  him  at  the  river  side.  Captain  Coytmoro 
imprudently  consented,  and  without  any  suspicion  of  danger 
walked  down  towards  the  river,  accompanied  by  Lieutenants 
Bell  and  Foster ;  when  Occonostota,  appearing  on  the  opposite 
side,  told  him  he  was  going  to  Charleston  to  procure  a  release 
of  the  prisoners,  and  would  be  glad  of  a  white  man  to  accompany 
him  as  a  safeguard ;  and  the  better  to  cover  his  dark  design, 
had  a  bridle  in  his  hand,  and  added,  he  would  go  and  hunt  for 
a  horse  for  him.  The  Captain  replied,  that  he  should  have  a 
guard,  and  wished  he  might  find  a  horse,  as  the  journey  was 
very  long.  Upon  which  tho  Indian,  turning  quickly  about, 
swung  the  bridle  thrice  round  his  head,  as  a  signal  to  the 
savages  placed  in  ambush,  who  instantly  fired  on  the  officers, 
shot  the  captain  dead  on  the  spot,  and  wounded  the  other  two. 
In  consequence  of  which,  orders  were  given  to  put  the  hostages 
in  irons,  to  prevent  any  further  danger  from  them ;  but  while 
the  soldiers  were  attempting  to  execute  their  orders,  the  In- 
dians stabljed  the  first  man  who  laid  hold  of  them  with  a  knife, 
and  wounded  two  more ;  upon  which  the  garrison,  exasperated 
to  the  highest  degree,  fell  on  the  unfortunate  hostages  and 
butchered  them  in  a  manner  too  shocking  to  relate. 

There  were  few  men  in  the  Cherokee  nation  that  did  not  lose 
a  friend  or  a  relation  by  this  massacre,  and  therefore  with  one 
voice  all  immediately  declared  for  war.  The  leaders  in  every 
town  seized  the  hatchet,  telling  their  followers  that  the  spirits 
of  their  murdered  brothers  were  flying  around  them,  and  calling 
for  vengeance.  From  the  different  towns  large  parties  of  warriors 
took  the  field,  painted  in  the  most  formidable  manner,  and 
singing  the  war  song,  rushed  down  among  the  defenceless 
families  on  the  frontiers  of  Carolina,  where  men,  women,  and 
children,  without  distinction,  fell  a  sacrifice  to  their  merciless 
fury.  Such  as  fled  to  the  woods,  and  escaped  the  scalping- 
knife,  perished  with  hunger;  and  those  whom  they  made 
prisoners  were  carried  into  the  wilderness,  where  they  suflfered 
22  P 


1T4 


THE  SEVEN  TEARS    WAR. 


) 


W' 


inexpressible  hardships;  aiid  every  day  brought  fresh  accounti 
to  the  capital  of  their  ravages,  murders,  and  desulations.  But 
whiio  the  back  settlers  impatiently  looked  to  their  governor  for 
relief,  the  small-pox  raged  to  such  a  degree  in  town,  that  few 
of  the  militia  could  be  prevailed  on  to  leave  their  diHtrensod 
families  to  serve  the  public.  In  this  extremity  an  express  was 
sent  to  General  Amherst,  the  commander-in-chief  in  America, 
acquainting  him  with  the  deplorable  situation  of  the  province, 
and  imploring  his  assistance  in  the  most  pressing  terms.  Ac- 
cordingly a  battalion  of  Highlanders,  and  four  companies  of  the 
Royal  Scots,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Montgomery,  after- 
wards Earl  of  Eglinton,  were  ordered  innnediately  to  embark, 
and  sail  for  the  relief  of  Carolina. 

In  the  mean  time  William  Lyttleton  being  transferred  to  the 
government  of  Jamaica,  the  charge  of  the  province  devolved  on 
William  Bull,  a  man  of  great  integrity  and  erudition.  Appli- 
cation  was  made  to  the  inhabitants  of  North  Carolina  and  Vir. 
ginia  for  relief,  and  seven  troops  of  rangers  were  raised  to  patrol 
the  frontiers,  and  prevent  the  savages  from  penetrating  further 
down  among  the  settlements.  A  considerable  sum  was  voted 
for  presents  to  such  of  the  Creeks,  Chickesaws,  and  Catawbas 
as  should  join  the  province,  and  go  to  war  against  the  Chero- 
kees ;  and  provisions  were  sent  to  the  families  that  had  escaped 
to  Angusta  and  Fort  Moore,  and  the  best  preparations  possible 
made  for  chastising  their  enemy,  so  soon  as  the  regulars  coming 
from  New  York  should  arrive  in  the  province. 

Before  the  end  of  April,  1760,  Colonel  Montgomery  landed 
in  Carolina,  and  encamped  at  Monk's  Comer;  but  as  the  con- 
quest of  Canada  was  the  grand  object  of  this  year's  campaign 
in  America,  he  had  orders  to  strike  a  sudden  blow  for  the  relief 
of  Carolina,  and  return  to  head-quarters  at  Albany  without  loss 
of  time.  Nothing  was  therefore  omitted  that  was  judged  neces- 
sary to  forward  the  expedition.  Several  gentlemen  of  fortune, 
excited  by  a  laudable  zeal,  formed  themselves  into  a  company 
of  volunteers,  and  joined  the  army.  The  whole  force  of  the 
province  was  collected,  and  ordered  to  rendezvous  at  Congaree  ; 
and  wagons,  carts,  and  horses  were  impressed. 

A  few  weeks  after  his  arrival.  Colonel  Montgomery  marched 
to  the  Congaree,  where  he  was  joined  b}  the  internal  strength 


T% 


THE  SEVEN   YEAUS    WAR. 


176 


of  the  province,  and  immediately  set  out  for  tljo  Cherokee 
country.  lie  was  provided  with  a  half-blooded  Indian,  for  a 
guide,  who  was  well  acquainted  with  the  roads  through  the 
wo(x1h,  and  the  pansages  through  the  rivers.  Having  little  time 
allowed  him,  his  march  was  spirited  and  expeditious.  After 
reaching  a  place  called  Twelvemile  River,  he  encamped  on  an 
odvantageous  ground,  and  marched  with  a  party  of  his  men  in 
the  night  to  surprise  Estatoe,  un  Indian  town  about  20  miles 
from  his  camp.  The  first  noise  he  heard  by  the  way  was  the 
barking  of  a  dog  before  his  men,  where  he  was  informed  there 
was  an  Indian  town  called  Little  Keowee,  which  he  ordered 
the  light  infantry  to  surround,  and,  except  women  and  children, 
to  put  every  Indian  in  it  to  the  sword.  He  next  proceeded 
to  Estatoe,  which  he  found  abandoned  by  all  the  savages, 
excepting  a  few  who  had  not  had  time  to  make  their  escape ; 
and  this  town,  which  consisted  of  at  least  200  houses,  and  was 
well  provided  with  corn,  hogs,  poultry,  and  ammunition,  he 
reduced  to  ashes ;  and  Sugar  Town,  and  every  other  settlement 
in  the  lower  nation,  afterwards  shared  the  same  fate.  In  these 
lower  towns  about  60  Indians  were  killed  and  40  made  pri- 
soners, and  the  rest  were  driven  to  seek  for  shelter  among  the 
mountains.  He  then  marched  to  the  relief  of  Fort  Prince 
George,  which  had  been  for  some  time  invested  by  savages,  in- 
somuch that  no  soldier  durst  venture  beyond  the  bounds  of  the 
fort,  and  where  the  garrison  was  in  distress,  not  for  the  want 
of  provisions,  but  of  fuel  to  prepare  them. 

While  the  army  rested  at  Fort  Prince  George,  Edmund  At- 
kin,  agent  for  Indian  affairs,  despatched  two  Indian  chiefs  to 
the  middle  settlements,  to  inform  the  Cherokees  that  by  suing 
for  peace  they  might  obtain  it,  as  the  former  friends  and  allies 
of  Britain ;  and  at  the  same  time  he  sent  a  messenger  to  Fort 
Loudon,  requesting  Captains  Demere  and  Stuart,  the  command- 
ing officers  at  that  place,  to  use  their  best  endeavours  for  ob- 
taining peace  with  the  Cherokees  in  the  upper  towns.  Colonel 
Montgomery  finding  that  the  savages  were  as  yet  disposed  to 
listen  to  no  terms  of  accommodation,  determined  to  carry  the 
chastisement  a  little  further.  While  he  was  piercing  through 
ihe  thick  forest  he  had  numberless  difficulties  to  surmount, 
particularly  from  rivers  fordable  only  at  one  place,  and  over- 


176 


THE  SEVEN  YEARS    WAIL. 


'B 


I)  ; 


looked  by  high  banks  on  each  side,  where  an  enemy  might 
attack  him  with  advantage,  and  retreat  with  safety.     When  he 
had  advanced  within  five  miles  of  Etchoe,  the  nearest  town  in 
the  middle  settlements,  he  found  there  a  low  valley,  covered  so 
thickly  with  bushes  that  the  soldiers  could  scarcely  see  three 
yards  before  them,  and  in  the  middle  of  which  there  was  a 
muddy  river,  with  steep  clay  banks.     Through  this  dark  place, 
where  it  was  impossible  for  any  number  of  men  to  act  together, 
the  army  must  necessarily  march ;  and  therefore  Captain  Mori- 
son,  who  commanded  a  company  of  rangers  well  acquainted 
with  the  woods,  had  orders  to  advance  and  scour  the  thicket. 
He  had  scarcely  entered  it,  when  a  number  of  savages  sprung 
from  their  lurking  den,  and  firing  on  them,  killed  the  captain 
and  wounded  several  of  his  party.     Upon  which  the  light- 
infantry  and  grenadiers  were  ordered  to  advance  and  change 
the  enemy,  which  they  did  with  great  courage  and  alacrity. 
A  heavy  fire  then  began,  on  both  sides,  and  during  some  time 
the  soldiers  could  only  discover  the  places  where  the  savages 
were  hid  by  the  report  of  their  guns.     Colonel  Montgomery 
finding  that  the  number  of  Indians  that  guarded  this  place  was 
great,  and  that  they  were  determined  obstinately  to  dispute  it, 
ordered  the  Royal  Scots,  who  were  in  the  rear,  to  advance 
between  the  savages  and  a  rising  ground  on  the  right,  while 
the   Highlanders  marched   towards   the  left  to  sustain   the 
light-infantry   and   grenadiers.      The   woods   now  resounded 
with  the  horrible  shouts  and  yells  of  the  savages,  but  these, 
instead  of  intimidating  the  troops,  seemed  rather  to  inspire 
them  with  double  finnness   and  resolution.     At  length   the 
savages  gave  way,  and  in  their  retreat  falling  in  with  the 
Royal  Scots,  sufiered  considerably  before  they  got  out  of  their 
reach.     By  this  time  the  Royals  being  in  the  front  and  the 
Highlanders  ^'n  the  rear,  the  enemy  stretched  away  and  took 
possession  of  a  hill,  seemingly  disposed  to  keep  at  a  distance, 
and  always  retreating  as  the  army  advanced;  and   Colonel 
Montgomery  perceiving  that  they  kept  aloof,  gave  orders  to  the 
line  to  face  about,  and  march  directly  for  the  town  of  Etchoe ; 
but  the  enemy  no  sooner  observed  this  movement,  than  they 
got  behind  the  hill,  and  ran  to  alarm  their  wives  and  children. 
During  the  action,  which  lasted  above  an  hour,  Colonel  Mont- 


WOUl( 


large 


THE   SEVEN    YEARS'   WAR. 


177 


gomery,  who  made  several  narrow  escapes,  had  20  men  killed, 
and  76  wounded.  What  number  the  enemy  lost  is  uncertain, 
but  some  places  were  discovered  into  which  they  had  thrown 
several  of  their  slain,  from  which  it  was  conjectured  that  thoy 
must  have  lost  a  great  number,  as  it  is  a  custom  among  them 
to  carry  their  dead  off  the  field.  Upon  viewing  the  ground, 
all  were  astonished  to  see  with  what  judgment  and  skill  they 
had  chosen  it ;  for  the  most  experienced  European  officer  could 
not  have  fixed  upon  a  spot  more  advantageous  for  waylaying 
and  attacking  an  enemy,  according  to  the  method  of  fighting 
practised  among  the  Indian  nations. 

This  action,  though  it  terminated  much  in  favour  of  the 
British  troops,  had  nevertheless  reduced  them  to  such  a  situa- 
tion as  made  it  very  imprudent,  if  not  altogether  impracticaljle, 
to  penetrate  further  into  those  woods.  The  repulse  was  far 
from  being  decisive,  for  the  enemy  had  only  retired  from  one 
to  another  advantageous  situation  in  order  to  renew  their  attack 
when  the  army  should  again  advance.  Humanity  would  not 
suffer  the  commander  to  leave  so  many  wounded  men  exposed 
to  the  vengeance  of  savages,  without  any  stronghold  in  which 
he  might  lodge  them,  or  some  detachment,  which  he  could  not 
spare,  to  protect  them ;  and  should  he  proceed  further,  he  saw 
plainly  that  he  must  expect  frequent  skirmishes,  which  would 
increase  the  number,  and  the  burning  of  so  many  Indian  towns 
would  be  a  poor  compensation  for  the  great  risk,  and  perhaps 
wanton  sacrifice  of  so  many  valuable  lives.  To  furnish  horses 
for  the  men  already  wounded  obliged  him  to  throw  many  bags 
of  flour  into  the  river,  and  what  remained  was  no  more  than 
sufficient  for  his  army  during  their  return  to  Fort  Prince  George, 
Orders  were  therefore  given  for  a  retreat,  which  was  made  with 
great  regularity,  although  the  enemy  continued  hovering  around 
them,  and  annoying  them  to  the  utmost  of  their  power.  A 
large  train  of  wounded  men  was  brought  above  60  miles 
through  a  hazardous  country  in  safety,  for  which  no  small 
share  of  honour  and  praise  was  due  to  the  officer  that  con- 
ducted the  retreat. 

After  Colonel  Montgomery  had  returned  to  the  settlements, 
and  was  preparing  to  embark  for  New  York,  agreer.ble  to  his 
orders  from  General  Amherst,  the  Carclinians  were  again  thrown 

p2 


178 


THE  SEVEN  TEARS*  WAS. 


:i 


llr 


m^ 


under  the  most  dreadful  apprehensions  from  the  dingers  which 
still  hung  over  the  province ;  and  prevailed  on  the  colonel  to 
leave  four  companies  of  the  royal  regiment,  under  the  command 
of  Major  Frederick  Hamilton,  for  covering  the  frontiers,  w  hile 
he  embarked  with  the  battalion  of  Highlanders,  and  sailed  for 
New  York. 

In  the  mean  time  the  distant  garrison  of  Fort  Loudon,  con- 
sisting of  200  men,  was  reduced  to  the  dreadful  alternative  of 
perishing  by  hunger  or  submitting  to  the  mercy  of  the  enraged 
Cherokees.  The  governor  having  information  that  the  Vir- 
ginians had  undertaken  to  relieve  it,  for  a  while  seemed  satis- 
fied, and  anxiously  waited  to  hear  the  news  of  that  happy 
event,  but  the  Virginians  were  equally  ill  qualified  with  their 
neighbours  of  Carolina  to  send  them  any  assistance.  So  remote 
was  the  fort  from  every  settlement,  and  so  difficult  was  it  io 
march  an  army  through  the  barren  wilderness,  where  the 
various  thickets  were  lined  with  enemies,  and  to  carry  at  the 
same  time  sufficient  supplies  along  with  them,  that  the  Vir- 
ginians had  dropped  all  thoughts  of  the  attempt.  Provisions 
being  entirely  exhausted  at  Fort  Loudon,  the  garrison  was  re- 
duced to  the  most  deplorable  situation ;  and  for  a  whole  month 
they  had  no  other  subsistence  but  the  flesh  of  lean  horses  and 
dogs,  and  a  small  supply  of  Indian  beans,  which  some  friendly 
Cherokee  women  procured  for  them  by  stealth.  Long  had  the 
fficers  endeavoured  to  animate  and  encourage  the  men  with  the 
hopes  of  relief;  but  now  being  blockaded  night  and  day  by  the 
enemy,  and  having  no  resource  left,  they  threatened  to  leave 
the  fort,  and  die  at  once  by  the  hands  of  savages,  rather  than 
perish  slowly  by  famine.  In  this  extremity  the  commander 
was  obliged  to  call  a  council  of  war,  to  consider  what  was  proper 
to  be  done ;  when  the  officers  were  all  of  opinion,  that  it  was 
impossible  to  hold  out  any  longer,  and  therefore  agreed  to  sur- 
render the  fort  to  the  Cherokees  on  the  best  terms  that  could 
be  obtained  from  them.  For  this  purpose.  Captain  Stuart,  an 
officer  of  great  sagacity  and  address,  and  much  beloved  by  all 
the  Indians  that  remained  in  the  British  interest,  procured 
leave  to  go  to  Chot^,  one  of  the  principal  towns  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood, where  he  obtained  the  following  terms  of  capitulation, 
which  were  signed  by  the  commanding  officer,  and  two  of  the 


THE   SEVEN  TEARS     WAR. 


179 


Cherokee  chiefs.  "  That  the  garrison  of  Fort  Loudon  march 
out  with  their  arms  and  drums,  each  soldier  having  as  much 
powder  and  ball  as  their  officer  shall  think  necessary  for  their 
march,  and  all  the  b  ggage  they  may  choose  to  carry  :  that  the 
garrison  be  permitted  to  march  to  Virginia,  or  Fort  Prince 
George,  as  the  commanding  officer  shall  think  proper,  un- 
molested ;  and  that  a  number  of  Indians  be  appointed  to  escort 
them,  and  hunt  for  provisions  during  their  march ;  that  such 
soldiers  as  are  lame,  or  by  sickness  disabled  from  marching,  be 
received  into  the  Inflian  towns,  and  kindly  used  until  they 
recover,  and  then  allowed  to  return  to  Fort  Prince  George ; 
that  the  Indians  do  provide  for  the  garrison  as  many  horses  as 
they  conveniently  can  for  their  march,  agreeing  with  the 
officers  and  soldiers  for  payment ;  that  the  fort,  great  guns, 
powder,  ball,  and  spare  arms,  be  delivered  to  the  Indians 
without  fraud  or  further  delay,  on  the  day  appointed  for  the 
march  of  the  troops." 

On  these  terms  the  garrison  delivered  up  the  fort,  and 
marched  out  with  their  arms,  accompanied  by  Occonostota, 
Judd's  friend,  the  Chief  of  Chote,  and  several  other  Indians, 
and  that  day  went  fifteen  miles  on  their  way  to  Fort  Prince 
George.  At  night  they  encamped  on  a  plain  about  two  miles 
from  Taliquo,  an  Indian  town,  when  all  their  attendants, 
upon  one  pretence  or  another,  left  them ;  which  the  officers 
considered  as  no  good  sign,  and  therefore  placed  a  strict  guard 
round  their  camp.  During  the  night  they  remained  unmolested, 
but  next  morning,  about  break  of  day,  a  soldier  from  an  out-post 
came  running  in,  and  informed  them  that  he  saw  a  vast 
number  of  Indians,  armed,  and  painted  in  the  most  dreadful 
manner,  creeping  among  the  bushes,  and  advancing  in  order  to 
surround  them.  Scarcely  had  t^e  officer  time  to  order  his  men 
to  stand  to  their  arms,  when  the  savages  poured  in  upon  them 
a  heavy  fire  from  different  quarters,  accompanied  with  the  most 
hideous  yells,  which  struck  a  panic  into  the  soldiers,  who  were 
so  much  enfeebled  and  dispirited  that  they  were  incapable  of 
making  any  effectual  resistance.  Captain  Demere,  with  three 
other  officers,  and  about  twenty-six  private  men,  fell  at  the  first 
onset.  Some  fled  into  the  woods,  and  were  afterwards  taken 
prisoners  and  confined  among  the  towns  in  the  valley.    Captain 


I 


I'lM 


180 


THE   SEVEN   TEARS    WAR. 


I-'  ' 


Stuart,  and  those  that  remained,  were  seized,  pinioned,  and 
brought  back  to  Fort  Loudon.  No  sooner  had  AttakuUakuUa 
heard  that  his  friend  Mr.  Stuart  had  escaped,  than  he  hastened 
to  the  fort,  and  purchased  him  from  the  Indian  that  took  hii  , 
giving  him  his  rifle,  clothes,  and  all  he  could  command,  b;y  ay 
of  ransom.  He  then  took  possession  of  Captain  Demere's 
house,  where  he  kept  his  prisoner  as  one  of  his  family,  and 
freely  shared  with  him  the  little  provisions  his  table  afforded, 
until  a  fair  opportunity  should  offer  for  rescuing  hmi  from  their 
hands ;  but  the  poor  soldiers  were  kept  in  a  miserable  state 
of  captivity  for  some  time,  and  then  redeemed  by  the  province 
at  a  great  expense. 

During  the  time  these  prisoners  were  confined  at  Fort  Lou- 
don, Occonostota  formed  a  design  of  attacking  Fort  Prince 
George,  and  for  this  purpose  despatched  a  messenger  to  the 
settlements  in  the  valley,  requesting  all  the  warriors  there  to 
join  him  at  Stickoey  old  town.  By  accident  a  discovery  was 
made  of  ten  bag&  of  powder,  and  ball  in  proportion,  which  the 
officers  had  secretly  buried  in  the  fort,  to  prevent  their  falling 
into  the  enemy's  hands.  This  discovery  had  nearly  proved 
fatal  to  Captain  Stuart,  and  would  certainly  have  cost  him  his 
life,  had  not  the  interpreter  had  so  much  presence  of  mind  as 
to  assure  the  enemy  that  these  warlike  stores  had  been  con- 
cealed without  his  knowledge  or  consent.  The  Indians  having 
now  abundance  of  ammunition  for  the  siege,  a  council  was 
called  at  Chot6,  to  which  the  captain  was  brought,  and  put  in 
mind  of  the  obligations  he  lay  under  to  them  for  sparing  his 
life ;  and  as  they  had  resolved  to  carry  six  cannon  and  two 
cohorns  with  them  against  Fort  Prince  George,  to  be  managed 
b}'  men  under  his  command,  they  told  him  he  must  go  and 
write  such  letters  to  the  commandant  as  they  should  dictate  to 
him.  They  informed  him  at  the  same  time,  that  if  that  officer 
should  refuse  to  surrender,  they  were  determined  to  burn  the 
prisoners  one  after  another  before  his  face,  and  try  if  he  could 
be  so  obstinate  as  to  hold  out  while  he  saw  his  friends  expiring 
in  the  flames.  Captain  Stuart  was  much  alarmed  at  his  situa- 
tion, and  from  that  moment  resolved  to  make  his  escape,  or 
perish  in  the  attempt.  His  design  he  privately  communicated 
to  AttakuUakuUa,  and  told  him  how  uneasy  he  was  at  the 


THE  SEVEN  YEAIIS'  WAR. 


181 


thoughts  of  being  compelled  to  k^nr  nrms  against  his  country- 
men. He  acknowledged  that  lie  had  always  been  a  brother, 
and  hoped  he  would  assiHt  hun  to  gut  out  of  his  present  perilous 
circumstances.  The  old  warrior,  Inking  him  by  the  hand,  told 
him  he  was  his  friend,  ho  had  already  given  one  proof  of  his 
regard,  and  in+ended  to  give  another  so  soon  as  his  brother 
should  return  and  help  him  to  concert  the  measure.  He  said 
he  was  well  apprised  of  the  ill  duKigns  of  his  countrymen,  and 
should  he  go  and  persuade  the  gnrrinon  of  Fort  Prince  George 
to  do  as  he  had  done,  what  could  he  expect  but  that  they 
should  share  the  same  dinnml  fate.  Strong  and  uncultivated 
minds  carry  their  friondship,  an  well  as  tlieir  enmity,  to  an 
astonishing  pitch,,  Among  navages  family  friendship  is  a 
national  virtue,  and  civilized  men  nuiy  blush  when  they  con- 
sider how  much  barbarians  have  often  surpassed  them  in  the 
practice  of  it. 

AttakullakuUa  claimed  Captain  Stuart  as  his  prisoner,  and 
had  resolved  to  deliver  him  from  dntiger,  and  for  this  purpose 
there  was  no  ti^  e  to  be  lost.  Accordingly  he  gave  out  among 
his  countrymen  that  he  intended  to  hunt  for  a  few  days,  and 
carry  his  prisoner  along  with  him  to  eat  venison,  of  which  he 
declared  he  was  exceedingly  fond.  At  the  same  time  the  cap- 
tain went  among  his  soldi"  h,  telling  them  that  they  could  never 
expect  to  be  ransomed  by  the  province,  if  they  gave  the  smallest 
assistance  to  the  Indians  against  Fort  Prince  George.  Having 
settled  all  matters,  they  set  out  on  tl.eir  journey,  accompanied 
by  the  warrior's  wife,  his  brother,  and  two  soldiers,  who  were 
the  only  persons  in  the  garrison  that  knew  how  to  convey  great 
guns  through  the  woods.  For  provisions  they  depended  on 
what  they  might  kill  by  the  way ;  but  the  distance  to  the 
frontier  settlements  was  groat,  and  the  utmost  expedition  was 
necessary  to  prevent  any  surprise  from  Indians  pursuing  them. 
Nine  days  and  nights  did  they  travel  through  a  dreary  wilder- 
ness, shaping  their  course  by  the  sun  and  moon  towards  Vir- 
ginia, and  traversing  many  hills,  valleys,  and  paths,  that  had 
never  been  crossed  before  but  by  saviiges  and  wild  beasts.  On 
the  tenth  they  arrived  at  the  banl<s  of  Ilolston's  river,  where 
they  fortunately  fell  in  with  a  party  of  300  men,  sent  out  by 
Colonel  Bird  for  the  relief  of  such  soldierw  as  might  make  their 
23 


182 


THE   SEVEN  TEARS    WAR. 


I; 


■t; 


1^ 


escape  that  way  from  Fort  Loudon.  On  the  fourteenth  day 
the  Captain  reached  Colonel  Bird's  camp  on  the  frontiers  of 
Virginia,  where  having  loaded  his  faithful  friend  with  presents 
and  provisions,  he  sent  him  back  to  protect  the  unhappy  pri- 
soners till  they  should  be  ransomed,  and  t^  exert  his  influence 
among  the  Cherokees  for  the  restoration  oi'  peace. 

No  sooner  had  Captain  Stuart  made  hi.s  escape  from  the 
hands  of  the  savages,  than  he  immediateh'  began  to  concert 
ways  and  means  for  the  relief  of  his  garrison.  An  express  was 
despatched  to  Lieutenant-governor  Bull,  informing  him  of  the 
disaster  that  had  happened  to  the  garrison  of  Fort  Ijoudon,  and 
of  the  designs  of  the  enemy  against  Fort  Prince  George.  In 
consequence  of  wliica  orders  were  given  to  IMajor  Thomson, 
who  comman(l»^d  ho  militia  on  the  frontiers,  to  throw  in  pro- 
visions for  toil  vvoeks  into  that  fort,  and  warn  the  commanding 
officer  '>f'  ;•!..  dai)g<:?..  At  the  same  time  a  messenger  was  sent 
to  Atra.;^:ulLxkulla;  desiring  him  to  inform  the  Cherokees  that 
Fort  Ceorge  w.- .  impregnable,  having  A^ast  quantities  of  powder 
buried  iindei'  oi;":uiJu.  everywhere  around  it,  to  blow  up  all 
enemies  that  should  attempt  to  come  near  it.  Presents  of  con- 
siderable value  were  sent  to  redeem  the  prisoners  at  Fort  Lou- 
don, a  few  of  whom  had  by  this  time  made  their  escape ;  and 
afterwards  not  only  those  that  were  confined  among  the  towns 
in  the  valley,  but  also  all  that  had  survived  the  hardships  of 
hunger,  disease,  and  captivity  in  the  upper  toAvns  were  re- 
leased, and  delivered  up  to  the  commanding  officer  at  Fort 
Prince  George. 

It  might  now  have  been  expected  that  the  vindictive  spirit 
of  the  savages  would  be  satisfied,  and  that  they  would  be  dis- 
posed to  listen  to  some  terms  of  accommodation.  This  treach- 
erous conduct  to  the  soldiers  at  Fort  Loudon,  they  intended  as 
a  satisfaction  for  the  harsh  treatme'it  the'v  relations  had  met 
with  at  Fort  Prince  George ;  and  dtarly  had  the  province  paid 
for  the  base  imprisonment  and  mas.' acre  of  the  eiiiots  at  that 
place.  Still,  however,  a  great  majority  of  the  nation  spurned 
at  every  offer  of  peace.  The  lower  towns  had  all  been  destroyed 
by  Colonel  Montgomey;  the  warriors  in  the  middle  settle- 
ments had  lost  many  friends  and  relations ;  and  several  French- 
men had  crept  in  among  the  upper  towns,  and  helped  to  foment 


THE    SEVEN    YEARS     WAR. 


18? 


mt 


their  ill  humour  against  Carolina.  Lewis  Latinac,  a  French 
officer,  was  among  them,  and  proved  an  indefatigable  instigator  to 
mischief.  He  persuaded  the  Indians  that  the  English  had  no- 
thing less  in  view  than  to  exterminate  them  from  the  face  of  the 
earth ;  and,  furnishing  them  with  arms  and  ammunition,  urged 
them  on  to  war.  At  a  great  meeting  of  the  nation  he  pulled 
out  his  hatchet,  and  striking  it  into  a  log  of  wood,  called  out, 
Who  is  the  man  that  will  take  this  up  for  the  king  of  France  ? 
Saloue,  the  young  warrior  of  Estatoe,  instantly  laid  hold  of  it, 
and  cried  out,  "  I  am  for  war.  The  spirits  of  our  brothers  who 
have  been  slain  still  call  upon  us  to  avenge  their  death.  He 
is  no  better  than  a  woman  that  refuses  to  follow  me."  Many 
others  seized  the  tomahawk,  yet  dyed  in  British  blood,  and 
burned  with  impatience  for  the  field. 

Under  the  flattering  appearance  of  a  calm  were  these  clouds 
(igiiin  gathering ;  however,  Lieutenant-governor  Bull,  who  well 
knew  how  little  Indians  were  to  be  trusted  on  any  occasion, 
kept  the  Royal  Scots  and  militia  on  the  frontiers  in  a  posture 
of  defence.  But  finding  the  province  still  under  the  most 
dreadful  apprehensions  from  their  savage  neighbours,  who  con- 
tinued insolent  and  vindictive,  and  ready  to  renew  their  ravages 
and  murders,  he  made  application  a  second  time  to  General 
Amherst  for  assistance.  Canada  being  now  reduced,  the  com- 
mander-in-chief could  the  more  easily  spare  a  force  adequate  to 
the  purpose  intended ;  and  Colonel  Montgomery,  who  conducted 
the  former  expedition,  having  by  this  time  embarked  for  Eng- 
land, the  command  of  the  Highlanders  devolved  on  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  James  Grant,  who  received  orders  to  return  to  the 
relief  of  Carolina.  Early  in  the  year  1761  he  landed  at  Charles- 
ton, where  he  took  up  his  winter  quarters,  until  the  proper 
season  should  approach  for  taking  the  field ;  but,  unfortunately, 
during  this  time  many  of  the  soldiers,  by  drinking  brackish 
Avater,  were  taken  sick,  which  afibrded  the  inhabitants  an  op- 
pt>rtunity  of  showing  their  kindness  and  humanity.  They  con- 
sidered themselves  under  the  strongest  obligations  to  treat  men 
with  tenderness,  who  came  to  protect  them  against  their  ene- 
mies, and  therefore  they  brought  the  sick  soldiers  into  their 
houses,  and  nursed  them  with  the  greatest  care  and  attention. 

In  this  campaign  the  province  determined  to  exert  itself  to 


I 


I 


■'H 


■'.i  >?«*>■..■. 


Ml 


184 


THE  SEVEN  TEARS    "WAR. 


the  utmost,  that,  in  conjunction  with  the  regular  forces,  a 
severe  correction  might  be  given  to  those  troublesome  savages. 
For  this  purpose  a  provincial  regiment  was  raised,  and  the 
command  of  it  given  to  Colonel  Middleton.  Presents  were  pro- 
vided for  the  Indian  allies,  and  several  of  the  Chickesaws  and 
Catawbas  engaged  to  assist  them  against  the  Cherokees.  But 
the  Creeks,  whose  help  was  also  strongly  solicited,  played  an 
artful  game  between  the  English  and  the  French,  and  gave  the 
one  or  the  other  encouragement,  according  to  the  advantages 
they  reaped  from  them.  All  possible  preparations  were  made  for 
supplymg  the  array  with  provisions  at  different  stages,  and 
with  such  carts  and  horses  as  were  thought  necessary  to  the 
expedition. 

As  all  white  men  in  the  province,  of  the  military  age,  were 
soldiers  as  well  as  citizens,  and  trained  in  some  measure  to  the 
use  of  arms,  it  was  no  difficult  matter  to  complete  the  provincial 
regiment.  Their  names  being  registered  in  the  list  of  militia, 
on  every  emergency  they  were  obliged  to  be  ready  for  defence, 
not  only  against  the  incursions  of  Indians,  but  also  against  the 
insurrection  of  negroes ;  and  although  the  same  prompt  obe- 
dience to  orders  could  not  be  expected  from  them  that  is 
necessary  in  a  regular  army,  yet  the  provincials  had  other 
advantages  which  compensated  for  that  defect.  They  were 
better  acquainted  than  strangers  with  the  woods,  and  the 
nature  of  that  country  in  which  their  military  service  was  re- 
quired. They  were  seasoned  to  the  climate,  and  had  learned 
from  experience  what  clothes,  meat,  and  drink  were  most 
proper  to  enable  them  to  do  their  duty.  In  common  occasions, 
when  the  militia  was  called  out,  the  men  received  no  pay,  but 
when  employed,  as  in  this  Cherokee  war,  for  the  public  defenc  , 
they  were  allowed  the  same  pay  with  the  king's  forces. 

As  soon  as  the  Highlanders  had  recovered  from  their  sick- 
ness, and  were  in  a  condition  to  take  the  field,  Colonel  Grart 
began  his  march  for  tlie  Cherokee  territories ;  and  after  beirg 
joined  by  the  provincial  regiment  and  Indian  allies,  he  musterr d 
in  all  about  2U00  men.  Having  served  some  years  in  America, 
and  been  in  sin'eral  engagements  with  the  Indians,  he  ^^as  now 
no  stranger  to  their  mcthoils  of  making  war. 

On  the  27th  of  May,  17CI,  Colonel  Grant  arrived  at  Fo't 


THE    SEVEN    YEARS     WAR. 


185 


5 


"g 


Prince  George,  and  Attakullakulla  having  got  information  that 
he  was  advancing  against  his  nation  with  a  formidable  army^ 
hastened  to  his  camp  to  signify  his  earnest  desire  of  peace.  H.' 
told  the  colonel  that  he  always  had  been,  and  ever  would  con- 
tinue to  be,  a  firm  friend  to  the  English ;  that  the  outrages  of 
his  countrymen  covered  him  with  shame,  and  filled  his  heart 
with  grief;  yet  nevertheless  he  would  gladly  interpose  in  their 
behalf,  in  order  to  bring  about  an  accommodation.  Often,  he 
said,  had  he  been  called  an  old  woman  by  the  mad  young  men 
of  his  nation,  who  delighted  in  war,  and  despised  his  counsels. 
Often  had  he  endeavoured  to  get  the  hatchet  buried,  and  the 
former  good  correspondence  with  the  Carolinians  established ; 
but  now  he  was  determined  to  set  out  for  the  Cherokee  towns, 
to  persuade  them  to  consult  their  safety,  and  speedily  agree 
to  terms  of  peace,  and  again  and  again  begged  the  colonel  to 
proceed  no  further  until  he  returned. 

Colonel  Grant,  however,  gave  him  no  encouragement  to 
expect  that  his  request  could  be  granted ;  but,  on  the  7th  of 
June,  began  his  march  from  Fort  Prince  George,  carrying  with 
him  provisions  for  the  army  for  30  days.  A  party  of  90  Indians, 
and  30  woodmen,  painted  like  Indians,  under  the  command  of 
Captain  Quintine  Kennedy,  had  orders  to  march  in  front  and 
scour  the  woods.  After  them  the  light  infantry,  and  about 
50  rangers,  consisting  in  all  of  about  200  men,  followed,  by 
whose  vigilance  and  activity  the  commander  imagined  that  the 
main  body  of  the  army  might  be  kept  tolerably  quiet  and 
secure.  For  three  days  he  made  forced  marches,  in  order  to 
get  over  two  narrow  and  dangerous  defiles,  which  he  accom- 
plished without  a  shot  from  the  enemy,  but  which  might  have 
cost  him  dear,  had  they  been  properly  guarded  and  warmly 
disputed.  On  the  day  following  he  found  suspicious  ground  on 
all  hands,  and  therefore  orders  were  given  for  the  first  time  to 
load  and  prepare  for  action,  and  the  guards  to  march  slowly 
forward,  doubling  their  vigilance  and  circumspection.  As  they 
frequently  spied  Indians  around  them,  all  were  convinced  that 
they  should  that  day  have  an  engagement.  At  length,  having 
advanced  near  to  the  place  where  Colonel  Montgomery  was  at- 
tacked the  year  before,  the  Indian  allies  in  the  van-guard,  about 
eight  in  the  morning,  observed  a  large  body  of  Cherokees 


'li  ^ 


liil 
ill 


I 
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J  80 


THE   SEVEN   TEARS    WAR. 


1^1 


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II 


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posted  u[)(m  a  liill  on  the  right  flank  of  the  army,  and  gave 
tlio  alarm.     Immediately  the    savages,  rushing  down,  bcpran 
to  fire   on    the    advanced  guard,  which  being  supported,  tlie 
enemy  were  repulsed,  and    recovered   their  lieighlH.     Under 
this   hill  the  line  was  obliged  to  march  a  considerable  way. 
On    the   left   there  was  a  river,  from  the  opposite  bank  of 
which  a  large  party  of  Indians  fired  briskly  on  the  troops  as 
they  advanced.     Colonel  Grant  ordered  a  party  to  march  up 
the  hill,  and    drive    the  enemy  from  the  heights,  while  the 
hne  faced  about,  and  gave  their  whole  charge  to  the  Indians 
who  annoyed  them  from  the  side  of  the  river.     The  engage- 
ment  became  general,  and   the  savages   seemed  determined 
obstinately  to  dispute  the  lower  grounds,  while  those  on  the 
hill  wer(!  dislodged  only  to  return  with  redoubled  ardour  to  the 
charge.     The  situation  of  the  troops  was  in  several  respects 
deplorable ;  fatigued  by  a  tedious  march,  in  rainy  weather,  sur- 
rounded  with  woods,  so  that  they  could  not  discern  the  enemy, 
galled  by  the  scattered  fire  of  savages,  who  when  pressed  always 
kept  aloof,  but  rallied  again  and  again,  and  returned  to  the 
ground.     No  sooner  did  the  army  gain  an  advantage  over  them 
in  one  quarter,  than  they  appeared  in  another.     While  the  at- 
tention of  the  connnandor  was  occupied  in  driving  the  enemy 
from   their   lurking-place  on    the  river's  side,  the   rear  was 
attacked,  and  so  vigorous  an  effort  made  for  the  flour  and  cattle, 
that  he  was  obliged  to  order  a  party  back  for  the  relief  of  the 
rear-guard.     From  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  until  eleven 
the  savages  continued  to  keep  up  an  irregular  and  incessant 
fire,  sometimes  from  one  place,  and  sometimes  from  another, 
while  the  woods  resounded  with  hideous  shouts  and  yells,  to 
intimidate  the  troops.     At  length  the  Cherokees  gave  way,  and 
being  pursued  for  some  time,  random  shots  continued  till  two 
o'clock,  when  they  disappeared.   What  loss  tha  enemy  sustained 
in  this  action  we  have  not  yet  been  able  to  learn,  but  of  Colonel 
Grant's  army  there  were  between  50  and  60  men  killed  and 
wounded ;  and  it  is  probable  the  loss  of  the  savages  could  not 
be  much  greater,  and  perhaps  not  so  great,  owing  to  their 
manner  of  fighting.     Orders  were  given  not  to  bury  the  slain, 
but  to  sink  them  in  the  river,  to  prevent  their  being  dug  up 
from  their  graves  and  scalped.     To  provide  horses  for  thos«, 


perih 

A 

Geui 

to  ] 


THE  SEVEN  YEARS    WAR. 


187 


that  wevii  wounded,  several  bags  of  flour  were  thrown  into  the 
rivt'..  After  which  they  proceeded  to  Etchoe,  a  pretty  large 
Indinn  town,  which  they  reached  about  midnight,  and  next 
day  reduced  to  ashes.  Every  other  town  in  the  middle  settle- 
n)entH,  fourteen  in  number,  shared  the  same  fate ;  and  their 
magazines  and  com  fields  were  likewi.se  destroyed,  and  those 
miiioruble  savages,  with  their  families,  were  driven  to  seek  fur 
tiUelter  and  provisions  among  the  lower  mountains. 

Colonel  Grant  continued  30  days  in  the  lieart  of  the  Chefo- 
kec  territories,  and,  upon  his  return  to  Fort  Prince  George,  the 
feet  and  legs  of  many  of  hi  army  were  so  torn  and  bruised,  and 
their  stn'ngth  and  spirits  so  much  exhausted,  that  they  were 
utterlv  unable  to  march  further.  He  resolved  therefore  to  en- 
carnp  at  that  place,  both  to  refresh  his  men,  and  wait  the  reso- 
lutions of  the  Cherokees,  in  consequence  of  the  heavy  chas- 
tisement which  they  had  received.  Besides  the  numberless 
advantages  their  country  aftovded  for  defence,  it  was  supposed 
that  some  French  officers  had  been  among  them,  and  given 
them  all  the  assistance  in  their  power.  It  is  true  the  savages 
supported  their  attack  for  some  hours  with  considerable  spirit ; 
but  being  driven  from  their  advantageous  posts  and  thickets, 
they  were  wholly  disconcerted,  and  though  the  repulse  was  far 
from  being  decisive,  yet  after  this  engagement  they  returned 
no  more  to  the  attack. 

Such  engagements  in  Europe  would  be  considered  as  trifling 
skirmishes,  scarcely  worthy  of  relation,  but  in  America  a  great 
deal  is  often  determined  by  them.  It  is  no  easy  matter  to 
describe  the  distress  to  which  the  savages  were  reduced  by  this 
f.evere  correction ;  even  in  time  of  peace  they  are  in  a  great 
jiieasure  destitute  of  that  foresight  which  provides  for  future 
events ;  but  in  time  of  war,  when  their  villages  are  destroyed, 
and  their  fields  laid  desolate,  they  are  reduced  to  extreme 
want.  Being  driven  to  the  barren  mountains,  the  hunters 
furnished  with  ammunition  might  indeed  make  some  small  pro- 
vision for  themselves ;  but  women,  children,  and  old  men  must 
perish,  being  deprived  of  the  means  of  subsistence. 

A  few  days  after  Colonel  Grant's  arrival  at  Fort  Prince 
George,  AttakuUakuUa,  attended  by  several  chieftains,  came 
to  his  camp,  and  expressed  a  desire  of  peace.     Severely  had 


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188 


THE   SEVEN  TEARS    WAR. 


they  suffered  for  breaking  the'  *  alliance  with  Britain ;  and  con- 
vinced at  last  of  the  weakness  and  perfidy  of  the  French,  who 
were  neither  able  to  assist  them  in  time  of  war,  nor  supply 
their  wants  in  time  of  peace,  they  resolved  to  renounce  all  con- 
nexion with  them  for  ever.  Accordingly  terms  of  peace  were 
drawn  up  and  proposed,  which  were  no  less  honourable  to 
Colonel  Grant  than  advantageous  to  the  province.  The  dif- 
ferent articles  being  read  and  interpreted,  AttakullakuUa  agreed 
to  them  all  excepting  one,  by  which  it  was  demanded,  "  That 
four  Cherokee  Indians  be  delivered  up  to  Colone]  Grant  at  Fort 
Prince  George,  to  be  put  to  death  in  the  front  of  his  camp ;  or 
four  green  scalps  be  brought  to  him  in  the  space  of  twelve 
nights."  The  warrior  having  no  authority  from  his  nation, 
declared  he  could  not  agree  to  this  article,  and  therefore  the 
Colonel  sent  him  to  Charleston,  to  see  whether  the  lieutenant- 
governor  would  consent  to  mitigate  the  rigour  of  it. 

Accordingly  AttakullakuUa,  and  the  other  chieftains,  being 
furnished  with  a  safeguard,  set  out  for  Charleston,  to  hold  a 
conference  with  Mr.  Bull,  and  a  peace  was  formally  ratified  and 
confirmed  by  both  parties. 

Thus  ended  the  Cherokee  war,  which  was  among  the  last 
humbling  strokes  given  to  the  expiring  power  of  France  in 
North  America,  and  Colonel  Grant  returned  to  Charleston. 

A  treaty  of  peace  was  concluded  at  Paris  on  the  10th  of 
February,  1763.  By  this  treaty,  the  French  monarch  renounced 
dl  claim  to  Nova  Scotia,  and  ceded  Canada  and  its  dependen- 
cies, together  with  Cape  Breton  and  all  the  islands  and  coasts 
adjoining  the  river  St.  Lawrence,  to  the  British  crown. 


*.i 


nity  ( 
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.  I. 


•  ■:.'!    II 


COLONEL  BOCQURT. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


PONTIAC'8  WAR. 


EACE  was  scarcely  concluded  be- 
tween France  and  England,  when  the 
north-western  frontier  of  the  colonies 
was  visited  with  the  horrors  of  Indian 
warfare.  (1763.)  When  the  English 
had  taken  possession  of  the  French 
posts  in  Canada,  Detroit  also  fell  into 
their  hands.  The  tribes  in  the  vici- 
nity of  this  post  were  under  the  government  of  Pontiac,  an 
Ottawa  chief,  of  great  sagacity,  bravery,  and  determination. 
Though  he  affected  to  be  the  friend  of  the  Enghsh,  he  preferred 
the  French,  and  quietly,  but  effectually  entered  into  measures, 
the  object  of  which  was  to  drive  the  former  from  his  country. 
24  q2  (189) 


I 


190 


PONTIAC*S  WAR. 


Pontiac  now  proceeded  in  his  great  work  of  forming  the 
north-western  tribes  into  a  vast  confederacy,  and  proved  him- 
self an  able  diplomatist.  His  eloquence  and  representations 
prevailed,  and  he  found  himself  at  the  head  of  a  mighty  body 
of  warriors.  The  plan  of  attack  was  next  concerted.  AH  the 
posts  held  by  the  English  from  Fort  Pitt  to  Michilimackinac  were 
to  be  attacked  simultaneously  upon  a  certain  day.  Until  that 
day  arrived,  every  precaution  was  taken  to  lull  the  English  into 
a  feeling  of  security,  yet  bands  of  the  various  tribes  united  in 
the  confederacy  gathered  about  Michilimackinac,  Detroit,  the 
Mouree  post,  Presque  Isle,  Niagara,  Pitt,  Ligonier,  and  other 
stations.  At  length,  the  appointed  day  arrived.  The  traders 
everywhere  were  seized,  their  goods  taken  from  them,  and 
more  than  one  hundred  of  them  put  to  death.  Nine  British 
forts  yielded  instantly,  and  over  the  whole  north-western 
frontier,  the  work  of  horror  and  desolation  was  actively  pur- 
sued. In  Western  Virginia,  more  than  20,000  people  were 
driven  from  their  homes.  The  burning  of  houses,  the  wasting 
of  fields,  and  the  capturing  and  butchering  of  settlers  and 
traders,  occupied  every  hour.  Fort  Michilimackinac  was  taken 
by  a  stratagem,  which  is  thus  narrated  by  Henry,  a  contempo- 
rary: 

"  The  next  day,  being  the  fourth  of  June,  was  the  king's 
birth-day.  The  morning  was  sultry.  A  Chippeway  came  to 
tell  me  that  his  nation  was  going  to  play  at  baggatiwayy  with 
the  Sacs  or  Saakies,  another  Indian  nation,  for  a  high  wager. 
He  invited  me  to  witness  the  sport,  adding  that  the  command- 
ant was  to  be  there,  and  would  bet  on  the  side  of  the  Chippe- 
ways.  In  consequence  of  this  information,  I  went  to  the  com- 
mandant, and  expostulated  with  him  a  little,  representing 
that  the  Indians  might  possibly  have  some  sinister  end  in  view ; 
but  the  commandant  only  smiled  at  my  suspicions. 

^^  Baggatiwat/f  called  by  the  Canadians  le  jeu  de  la  crosse,  is 
played  with  a  bat  and  ball.  The  bat  is  about  four  feet  in 
length,  curved,  and  terminating  in  a  sort  of  racket.  Two 
posts  are  planted  in  the  ground,  at  a  considerable  distance  from 
each  other,  as  a  mile  or  more.  Each  party  has  its  post,  and 
the  game  consists  in  throwing  the  ball  up  to  the  post  of  the 
adversary.    The  ball  at  the  beginning  is  placed  in  the  middle 


PONTIAC'S   WAR. 


191 


a 


' 


of  the  course,  and  each  party  endeavours  as  well  to  throw  the 
ball  out  of  the  direction  of  its  own  post,  as  into  that  of  the 
adversary's. 

"I  did  not  go  myself  to  see  the  match  which  was  now  to  be 
played  without  the  fort,  because,  there  being  a  canoe  prepared 
to  depart,  on  the  following  day,  for  Montreal,  I  employed  my- 
self in  writing  letters  to  my  friends ;  and  even  when  a  fellow - 
trader,  Mr.  Tracy,  happened  to  call  upon  me,  saying  that 
another  canoe  had  just  arrived  from  Detroit,  and  proposing 
that  I  should  go  with  him  to  the  beach,  to  inquire  the  news,  it 
so  happened  that  I  still  remained,  to  finish  my  letters ;  pro- 
mising to  follow  Mr.  Tracy  in  the  course  of  a  few  minutes. 
Mr.  Tracy  had  not  gone  more  than  twenty  paces  from  the  door, 
when  I  heard  an  Indian  war-cry,  and  a  noise  of  general  con 
fusion.  Going  instantly  to  my  window,  I  saw  a  crowd  of  In- . 
dians,  within  the  fort,  furiously  cutting  down  and  scalping 
every  Englishman  they  found.  In  particular,  I  witnessed  the 
fate  of  Lieutenant  Jemette. 

"  The  game  of  baggatiway,  as  from  the  description  above  will 
have  been  perceived,  is  necessarily  attended  with  much  violence 
and  noise.  In  the  ardour  of  contest,  the  ball,  as  has  been  sug- 
gested, if  it  cannot  be  thrown  to  the  goal  desired,  is  struck  in 
any  direction  by  which  it  can  be  diverted  from  that  designed 
by  the  adversary.  At  such  a  moment,  therefore,  nothing  could 
be  less  liable  to  excite  premature  alarm,  than  that  the  IwU 
should  be  tossed  over  the  pickets  of  the  fort,  nor  that,  having 
fallen  there,  it  should  be  followed  on  the  instant  by  all  engaged 
in  the  game,  as  well  the  one  party  as  the  other,  all  eager,  all 
struggling,  all  shouting,  all  in  the  unrestrained  pursuit  of  a 
rude  athletic  exercise.  Nothing  could  be  less  fitted  to  excite 
premature  alarm;  nothing,  therefore,  could  be  more  happily 
devised,  under  the  circumstances,  than  a  stratagem  like  this ; 
and  this  was,  in  fact,  the  stratagem  which  the  Indians  had  em- 
ployed, by  which  they  had  obtained  possession  of  the  fort,  and 
by  which  they  had  been  enabled  to  slaughter  and  subdue  its 
garrison,  and  such  of  its  other  inhabitants  as  they  pleased.  To 
be  still  more  certain  of  success,  they  had  prevailed  upon  as 
many  as  they  could,  by  a  pretext  the  least  liable  to  suspicion, 


192 


PONTIACS  WAR. 


to  come  voluntarily  without  the  pickets ;  and  particularly  the 
commandant  and  garrison  themselves."     ■irmhi  s„ 

At  Detroit,  where  Pontiac  commanded,  treachery  prevented 
success ;  of  this  we  give  the  account  by  Captain  Carver : — 

"  As  every  appearance  of  war  was  at  an  end,  and  the  Indians 
seemed  to  be  on  a  friendly  footing,  Pontiac  approached  Detroit 
without  exciting  any  suspicions  in  the  breast  of  the  governor, 
or  the  inhabitants.  He  encamped  at  a  little  distance  from  it, 
and  let  the  commandant  know  that  he  was  come  to  trade ;  and 
being  desirous  of  brightening  the  chain  of  peace  between  the 
English  and  his  nation,  desired  that  he  and  his  chiefs  might  be 
admitted  to  hold  a  council  with  him.  The  governor,  still 
unsuspicious,  and  not  in  the  least  doubting  the  sincerity  of  the 
Indians,  granted  their  general's  request,  and  fixed  on  the  next 
morning  for  their  reception. 

"  On  the  evening  of  that  day,  an  Indian  woman  who  had 
been  appointed  by  Major  Gladwin  to  make  a  pair  of  Indian 
shoes,  out  of  a  curious  elkskin,  brought  them  home.  The 
major  was  so  pleased  with  them,  that,  intending  these  as  a  pre- 
sent for  a  friend,  he  ordered  her  to  take  the  remainder  back, 
and  make  it  into  others  for  himself  He  then  directed  his 
servant  to  pay  her  for  those  she  had  done,  and  dismissed  her. 
The  woman  went  to  the  door  that  led  to  the  street,  but  no  fur- 
ther ;  she  there  loitered  about  as  if  she  had  not  finished  the 
business  on  which  she  came.  A  servant  at  length  observed  her, 
and  asked  her  why  she  stayed  there?  She,  gave  him,  however, 
no  answer.     .      .  r  ...     :    .,        . 

"  Some  short  time  after,  the  governor  himself  saw  her,  and 
inquired  of  his  servant  what  occasioned  her  stay.  Not  being 
able  to  get  a  satisfactory  answer,  he  ordered  the  woman  to  be 
called  in.  When  she  came  into  his  presence,  he  desired  to 
know  what  was  the  reason  of  her  loitering  about,  and  not  hast- 
ening home  before  the  gates  were  shut,  that  she  might  complete 
in  due  time  the  work  he  had  given  her  to  do.  She  told  him, 
after  much  hesitation,  that  as  he  had  always  behaved  with 
great  goodness  towards  her,  she  was  unwilling  to  take  away  the 
remainder  of  the  skin,  because  he  put  so  great  a  value  upon  it ; 
and  yet  had  not  been  able  to  prevail  upon  herself  to  tell  him 
80.     He  then  asked  her  why  she  was  more  reluctant  to  do  so 


\   1 


v 


PONTIACS  WAR. 


193 


now  than  she  had  been  when  she  made  the  former  pair.  With 
increased  reluctance  she  answered,  that  she  should  never  be  able 
to  bring  them  back. 

"  His  curiosity  was  now  excited,  he  insisted  on  her  disclosing 
the  secret  that  seemed  to  be  struggling  in  her  bosom  for  utter- 
ance. At  last,  on  receiving  a  promise  that  the  intelligence  she 
was  about  to  give  him  should  not  turn  to  her  prejudice ;  and 
that  if  it  appeared  to  be  beneficial,  she  should  be  rewarded  for 
it,  she  informed  him,  that  at  the  council  to  be  held  with  the 
Indians  the  following  day,  Pontiac  ar)'l  his  chiefs  intended  to 
murder  him  ;  and,  after  having  massi.cred  the  garrison  and  in- 
habitants, to  plunder  the  town.  That  for  this  purpose,  all  the 
chiefs  who  were  to  be  admitted  into  the  council  room  had  cut 
their  guns  short,  so  that  they  could  conceal  them  under  their 
blankets ;  with  which  on  a  signal  given  by  their  general,  on 
delivering  the  belt,  they  were  all  to  rise  up  and  instantly  to  fire 
on  him  and  his  attendants.  Having  effected  this,  they  were 
immediately  to  rush  into  the  town,  where  they  would  find 
themselves  supported  by  a  great  number  of  their  warriors,  that 
were  to  come  into  it  during  the  sitting  of  the  council  under 
the  pretence  of  trading,  but  privately  armed  in  the  same  man- 
ner. Having  gained  from  the  woman  every  necessary  particu- 
lar relative  to  the  plot,  and  also  the  means  by  which  she 
acquired  a  knowledge  of  them,  he  dismissed  her  with  injunc- 
tions of  secrecy,  and  a  promise  of  fulfilling  on  his  part  with 
punctuality  the  engagements  he  had  entered  into. 

"  The  intelligence  the  governor  had  just  received  gave  him 
gxeat  uneasiness ;  and  he  immediately  consulted  the  officer  who 
was  next  him  in  command  on  the  subject.  But  this  gentle- 
men, considering  the  information  as  a  story  invented  for  some 
artful  purpose,  advised  him  to  pay  no  attention  to  it.  This 
conclusion,  however,  had  happily,  no  weight  with  him.  He 
thought  it  prudent  to  conclude  it  to  be  true,  till  he  was  con- 
vinced that  it  was  not  so ;  and  therefore,  without  revealing  his 
suspicions  to  any  other  person,  he  took  every  needful  precau- 
tion that  the  time  would  admit  of.  He  walked  around  the  fort 
f  ^r  the  whole  night,  and  saw  himself,  that  every  sentinel  was 
upon  duty,  and  every  weapon  of  defence  in  proper  order. 

"  As  he  traversed  the  ramparts  that  lay  nearest  to  the  Indian 


194 


PONTIAC'S  WAR. 


camp,  he  heard  them  in  high  festivity,  and  little  imagining 
that  their  plot  was  discovered,  probably  pleasing  themselves 
with  the  anticipation  of  their  success.  As  soon  as  the  morning 
dawned,  he  ordered  all  the  garrison  under  arms,  and  then  im- 
parting his  apprehensions  to  a  few  of  the  principal  officers,  gave 
them  such  directions  as  he  thought  necessary.  At  the  same 
time  he  sent  round  to  all  the  traders,  to  inform  them,  that  as 
it  was  expected  a  great  number  of  Indians  would  enter  the 
town  that  day,  who  might  be  inclined  to  plunder,  he  desired 
they  would  have  their  arms  ready,  and  repel  any  attempt  of 
that  kind. 

"  About  ten  o'clock,  Pontiac  and  his  chiefs  arrived,  and  were 
conducted  to  the  council  chamber,  where  the  governor  and  his 
principal  officers,  each  with  pistols  in  his  belt,  awaited  his 
arrival.  As  the  Indians  passed  on,  they  could  not  help  observ- 
ing that  a  greater  number  of  troops  than  usual  were  drawn  up 
on  the  parade,  or  marching  about.  No  sooner  were  they  entered 
and  seated  on  the  skins  prepared  for  them,  than  Pontiac  asked 
the  governor,  on  what  occasion  his  young  men,  meaning  the 
soldiers,  were  thus  drawn  up  and  parading  the  streets  ?  He 
received  for  answer  that  it  was  only  intended  to  keep  them 
perfect  in  their  exercise. 

"  The  Indian  chief  warrior  now  began  his  speech,  which  con- 
tained the  strongest  professions  of  friendship  and  good  will 
towards  the  English :  and  when  he  came  to  the  delivery  of  the 
belt  of  wampum,  the  particular  mode  of  which,  according  to 
the  woman's  information,  was  to  be  the  signal  for  the  chiefs  to 
fire,  the  governor  and  all  his  attendants  drew  their  swords  half 
way  out  of  their  scabbards ;  and  the  soldiers  at  the  same  time 
made  a  clattering  with  their  arms  before  the  door,  which  had 
been  purposely  left  open.  Pontiac,  though  one  of  the  bravest 
men,  immediately  turned  pale  and  trembled ;  and  instead  of 
giving  the  belt  in  the  manner  proposed,  delivered  it  according 
to  the  usual  way.  His  chiefs,  who  had  impatiently  expected 
the  signal,  looked  at  each  other  with  astonishment,  but  con- 
tinued quiet,  waiting  the  result. 

"  The  governor,  in  his  turn,  made  a  speech,  but  instead  of 
thanking  the  great  warrior  for  the  professions  of  friendship  he 
had  just  uttered,  he  accused  him  of  being  a  traitor.    He  told 


\' 


' 


1 


PONTIACS  WAR. 


195 


him  that  the  English,  who  knew  everything,  were  convinced 
of  his  treachery  and  villanous  designs ;  and  as  a  proof  thai 
they  were  acquainted  with  his  most  secret  thoughts  and  inten- 
tions, he  stepped  towards  an  Indian  chief  that  sat  nearest  to 
him,  and  drawing  aside  the  blanket,  discovered  the  shortened  . 
firelock.  This  entirely  disconcerted  the  Indians,  and  frustrated 
their  design. 

"  He  then  continued  to  tell  them,  that  as  he  had  given  his 
word  at  the  time  they  had  desired  an  audience,  that  their  per- 
sons should  be  safe,  he  would  hold  his  promise  inviolable,  though 
they  so  little  deserved  it.  However,  he  desired  them  to  make 
the  best  of  their  way  out  of  the  fort,  lest  his  young  men,  on 
being  acquainted  with  their  treacherous  purposes,  should  cut 
every  one  of  them  to  pieces. 

"  Pontiac  endeavoured  to  contradict  the  accusation,  and  to 
make  excuses  for  his  suspicious  conduct;  but  the  governor, 
satisfied  of  the  falsity  of  his  protestations,  would  not  listen  to 
him.  The  Indians  immediately  left  the  fort ;  but  instead  of 
being  sensible  of  the  governor's  generous  behaviour,  they 
threw-  off  the  mask,  and  the  next  day  made  a  regular  attack 
upon  it." 

Thus  foiled,  Pontiac  laid  formal  siege  to  the  fortress,  and  for 
many  months  that  siege  was  continued  in  a  manner,  and  with 
a  perseverance,  unexampled  by  the  Indians.  Even  a  regular 
commissariat  department  was  organized,  and  bills  of  credit 
drawn  out  upon  bark,  were  issued,  and  what  is  rarer,  punctually 
paid. 

Fort  Pitt  was  besieged  and  reduced  to  great  str  t !  ts.  Niagara 
remained  in  the  possession  of  the  British.  Sir  Jeii'^  >:  Amherst, 
who  now  commanded  in  America,  determined  to  make  an 
effort  to  relieve  and  strengthen  Pitt,  Detroit,  and  Niagara 
The  troops,  destined  to  relieve  Detroit,  were  commanded  b> 
Captain,  Dalyell.  He  arrived  at  that  post  on  the  30th  of  July 
Before  his  arrival,  Pontiac  had  summoned  Major  Gladwin  to 
surrender  the  fort  to  the  French  king.  To  force  the  Indians 
to  abandon  their  present  design,  Captain  Dalyell  sallied  out 
early  on  the  morning  of  the  31st,  with  250  men.  At  Bloody 
Bridge,  he  was  attacked  by  the  Indians.  Learning  their  im- 
mense superiority,  he  was  about  to  retreat,  when  he  was  killed. 


196 


PONTIACS  WAR. 


PONTIAC. 


Captain  Grant  now  assumed  the  command,  brought  his  men  to 
the  fort  in  good  order,  and  acquired  great  honour  by  the  able 
manner  in  which  he  conducted  the  retreat.  Besides  Captain 
Dalyell,  the  English  lost  one  sergeant  and  eighteen  rank  and 
file  killed ;  and  Captain  Grey,  Lieutenants  Duke  and  Brown, 
one  drummer,  and  thirty-eight  rank  and  file  wounded. 

Colonel  Bouquet,  with  two  regiments  of  regulars,  in  a 
shattered  condition,  was  ordered  to  march  to  the  relief  of  Fort 
Pitt,  with  a  quantity  of  military  stores. 

Early  orders  had  been  given  to  prepare  a  convoy  of  provisions 
on  the  frontiers  of  Pennsylvania,  but  such  was  the  universal 
terror  and  consternation  of  the  inhabitants,  that  vvlrn  Colonel 
Bouquet  arrived  at  Carlisle,  nothing  had  yet  been  done.  A  great 


I 


PONTIACS    WAR. 


1U7 


i 


number  of  the  plantations  had  been  plundered  and  burnt  hy 
the  savages ;  many  of  the  mills  were  destroyed,  and  the  full 
ripe  crops  stood  waving  in  the  field,  ready  for  the  sickle,  but  the 
reapers  were  not  to  be  found.  The  greatest  part  of  the  county 
of  Cumberland,  through  which  the  army  liod  to  pass,  was 
deserted,  and  the  roads  were  covered  witli  distressed  families, 
flying  from  their  settlements,  and  destitute  of  all  the  necessaries 
of  life.  In  the  midst  of  that  gtmeral  confusion,  the  supplies 
necessary  for  the  expedition  became  very  precarious,  nor  was 
it  less  difficult  to  procure  horses  and  carriages,  for  the  use  of 
the  troops. 

The  commander  found  that,  instead  of  expecting  such  sup- 
plies from  a  miserable  people,  he  himself  was  called,  by  the 
voice  of  humanity,  to  bestow  on  them  some  share  of  his  own 
provisions,  to  relieve  their  present  exigency,  However,  in 
eighteen  days  after  his  arrival  at  Carlisle,  by  the  prudent 
measures  which  he  pursued,  joined  to  his  knowledge  of  the 
country,  and  the  diligence  of  the  persons  ho  employed,  the 
convoy  and  carriages  were  procured  with  the  assistance  of  the 
interior  parts  of  the  country,  and  the  army  proceeded. 

Their  march  did  not  abate  the  fears  of  the  dejected  inhor 
bitants.  They  knew  the  strength  and  ferocity  of  the  enemy. 
They  remembered  the  former  defeats  even  of  our  best  troops, 
and  were  full  of  diffidence  and  apprehensions  on  beholding  the 
small  number  and  sickly  state  of  the  regulars  employed  in  this 
expedition.  Without  the  least  hopes,  therefore,  of  success,  they 
seemed  only  to  wait  for  the  fatal  event,  which  they  dreaded,  to 
abandon  all  the  country  beyond  the  Susquehanna. 

Meanwhile,  Fort  Ligonier,  situated  beyond  the  Allegheny 
mountains,  was  in  the  greatest  danger  of  falling  into  the  hands 
of  the  enemy,  before  the  army  could  reach  it.  The  stockade 
being  very  bad,  and  the  garrison  extremely  weak,  they  had 
attacked  it  vigorously,  but  had  been  repulsed  by  the  bravery 
and  good  conduct  of  Lieutenant  Blane,  who  commanded 
there. 

The  preservation  of  that  post  was  of  the  utmost  consequence, 

on  account  of  its  situation  and  the  quantity  of  military  stores 

it  contained,  which,  if  the  enemy  could  have  got  possession  of, 

would  have  enabled  them  to  continue  their  attack  upon  Fort 

25  B 


198 


PONTIACS    WAR. 


Pitt,  and  reduced  the  army  to  the  greatest  straits.  For  an 
object  of  that  importance,  every  risk  was  to  bo  run  ;  and  the 
Colonel  determined  to  send  through  the  woods,  with  proper 
guides,  a  party  of  thirty  men  to  join  that  garrison.  They  suc- 
ceeded by  forced  marches  in  that  hazardous  attempt,  not  having 
been  discovered  by  the  enemy  till  they  came  within  sight  of  the 
fort,  into  which  they  threw  themselves,  after  receiving  some 
running  shot. 

Previous  to  that  reinforcement  of  regulars,  twenty  volunteers, 
all  good  woodsmen,  had  been  sent  to  Fort  Ligonior  by  Captain 
Ourry,  who  commanded  at  Fort  Bedford,  another  very  consider- 
able magazine  of  provisions  and  military  stores,  the  principal 
and  central  post  between  Carlisle  and  Fort  Pitt,  being  about 
one  hundred  miles  distant  from  each.  This  fort  was  also  in 
a  ruinous  condition,  and  very  weakly  garrisoned,  although  the 
two  small  intermediate  posts,  at  the  crossing  of  the  Juniata 
and  Stony  creek,  had  been  abandoned  to  strengthen  it.  Here 
the  distressed  families,  scattered  for  twelve  or  fifteen  miles 
around,  fled  for  protection,  leaving  most  of  their  effects  a  prey 
to  the  savages.  All  the  necessary  precautions  were  taken  by 
the  commanding  officer  to  prevent  surprise,  and  repel  open 
force,  as  also  to  render  ineffectual  the  enemy's  fire  arrows.  He 
irmed  all  the  fighting  men,  who  formed  two  companies  of 
volunteers,  and  did  duty  with  the  garrison  till  the  arrival  of 
two  companies  of  light  infantry,  detached  as  soon  as  possible 
from  Colonel  Bouquet's  little  army. 

These  two  magazines  being  secured,  the  Colonel  advanced  to 
the  remotest  verge  of  our  settlements,  where  he  could  receive 
no  sort  of  intelligence  of  number,  positions,  or  motions  of  the 
enemy.  Not  even  at  Fort  Bedford,  where  he  arrived  with  his 
whole  convoy  on  the  25th  of  July,  for  though  the  Indians  did 
not  attempt  to  attack  the  fort,  they  had  by  this  time  killed, 
scalped,  and  taken  eighteen  prisoners  in  that  neighbourhood, 
and  their  skulking  parties  were  so  spread,  that  at  last  no  express 
could  escape  them.  This  want  of  intelligence,  was  a  very  em- 
barrassing circumstance  in  the  conduct  of  a  campaign  in 
America.  The  Indians  had  better  intelligence,  and  no  sooner 
were  they  informed  of  the  march  of  the  army,  than  they  broke 
up  the  siege  of  Fort  Pitt,  and  took  a  route  by  which  they  knew 


' 


POKTIAC'S  WAR. 


199 


the  enemy  was  to  proceed,  rosolvod  to  take  advantageouB  oppo^ 
tunity  of  an  attack  on  the  inarch. 

In  this  uncertainty  of  intelligence  under  which  the  Colonel 
laboured,  he  marched  from  Fort  Bedford,  the  28th  of  July,  and 
as  soon  as  he  reached  Fort  Ligonier,  ho  determined,  prudently, 
to  leave  his  wagons  at  that  post,  and  to  proceed  only  with  pack- 
horses.  Thus  disburdened,  the  army  continued  their  route. 
Before  them  lay  a  dangerous  defile  at  Turtle  creek,  several 
miles  in  length,  bounded  the  whole  way  by  high  craggy  hilla. 
This  defile  he  intended  to  have  paHsed  the  ensuing  night,  by 
a  double  or  forced  march ;  thereby,  if  posMiblo,  to  elude  the 
vigilance  of  so  alert  an  enemy,  proposing  only  to  make  a  short 
halt  in  his  way,  to  refresh  the  troops  at  liushi/  Run. 

When  they  came  within  half  a  mile  of  that  place,  about  one  in 
the  afternoon,  August  5th,  170.3,  after  a  harassing  march  of 
seventeen  miles,  and  just  as  they  were  expecting  to  relax  from 
their  fatigue,  they  were  suddenly  attacked  by  the  Indians,  on 
their  advanced  guard ;  which  being  speedily  and  firmly  sup- 
ported, the  enemy  was  beaten  off,  and  even  pursued  to  a  con- 
siderable distance. 

But  the  flight  of  these  barbarians  must  often  be  considered 
as  a  part  of  the  engagement,  rather  than  an  abandonment  of 
the  field.  The  moment  the  pursuit  ended,  they  returned  with 
renewed  vigour  to  the  attack.  Several  other  parties,  who  had 
been  in  ambush  in  some  high  grounds  which  lay  along  the 
flanks  of  the  army,  now  started  up  at  once,  and  falling  upon 
the  troops  with  a  resolution  equal  tu  that  of  their  companions, 
galled  them  with  a  most  obstinate  fire. 

It  was  necessary  to  make  a  general  charge  with  the  whole 
line,  to  dislodge  them  from  the  heightB.  This  charge  succeeded ; 
but  still  the  success  produced  no  decisive  advantage ;  for  as  soon 
as  the  savages  were  driven  from  one  post,  they  still  appeared 
on  another,  till  by  constant  reinforcements  they  were  at  length 
able  to  surround  the  whole  detachment,  and  attack  the  convoy 
which  had  been  left  in  the  rear. 

This  manoeuvre  enabled  the  main  body  to  fall  back  in  ordei 
to  protect  it.  The  action,  which  grew  every  moment  hotter, 
now  became  general.  Our  troops  were  attacked  on  every  side ; 
the  savages  supported  their  spirit  throughout  j  but  the  steady 


200 


PONTIACS    WAR. 


u 


behaviour  of  the  English  troops,  who  were  not  thrown  into  the 
least  confusion  by  the  very  discouraging  nature  of  this  service, 
in  the  end  prevailed;  they  repulsed  the  enemy,  and  drove 
them  from  all  the  posts  with  fixed  bayonets.  The  engagement 
ended  only  with  the  day,  having  continued  from  one  o'clock 
without  intermission.  .        ' 

The  ground  on  which  the  action  ended,  was  not  altogether 
inconvenient  for  an  encampment.  The  convoy  and  the  wounded 
were  in  the  middle,  and  the  troops,  disposed  in  a  circle,  encom- 
passed the  whole.  In  this  manner,  and  with  little  repose,  they 
passed  an  anxious  night,  obliged  to  observe  the  strictest  vigi- 
lance by  an  enterprising  enemy,  who  had  surrounded  them. 

At  the  first  dawn  of  light  the  savages  began  to  show  them- 
selves all  about  the  camp,  at  the  distance  of  about  five  hundred 
yards ;  and  by  shouting  and  yelling  in  the  most  horrid  manner, 
quite  around  the  extensive  ciicumference,  endeavoured  to  strike 
terror  by  an  ostentation  of  their  numbers  and  their  ferocity. 

After  this  alarming  preparation,  they  attacked  the  forces,  and 
under  the  favour  of  an  incessant  fire,  made  several  bold  efforts 
to  penetrate  into  the  camp.  They  were  repulsed  in  every 
attempt,  but  by  no  means  discouraged  from  new  ones.  The 
troops,  continually  victorious,  were  constantly  in  danger.  They 
were  besides  extremely  fatigued  with  a  long  march,  and  with 
the  equally  long  action  of  the  preceding  day ;  and  they  were 
distressed  to  the  last  degree  by  a  total  want  of  water,  much 
more  intolerable  than  the  evening's  fire. 

Tied  to  their  convoy,  they  could  not  lose  s'^ht  of  it  for  a 
moment,  without  exposing,  not  only  that  interesting  object,  but 
their  wounded  men,  to  fall  a  prey  to  the  savages,  who  pressed 
them  on  every  side.  To  move  was  impracticable.  Many  of 
the  horses  were  lost,  and  many  of  the  drivers,  stupifiod  by  their 
fears,  hid  themselves  in  bushes,  and  were  incapable  of  hearing 
or  obeying  orders. 

Their  situation  became  extremely  critical  and  perplexing, 
having  experienced  that  the  most  lively  efforts  made  no  impres- 
sions upon  an  enemy  who  always  gave  way  when  pressed ;  but 
who,  the  moment  the  pursuit  was  ovei',  returned  with  as  much 
alacrity  as  ever  to  the  attack.  Besieged  rather  than  engaged ; 
attacked  without  interruption,  and  without  decision;    able 


. 


PONTIACS    WAR. 


201 


neither  to  advance  nor  retreat,  they  saw  before  them  the  niost 
melancholy  prospect  of  crumbling  away  by  degrees,  and  entirely 
perishing  without  revenge  or  honour,  in  the  midst  of  those 
dreadful  deserts.  The  fate  of  Braddock  was  every  moment 
before  their  eyes ;  but  they  were  more  ably  conducted.  The 
commander  was  sensible  that  everything  depended  upon  bring- 
ing the  savages  to  a  close  engagement,  and  to  stand  their 
ground  when  attacked.  Their  audaciousness,  which  was  in- 
creased with  their  success,  seemed  favourable  to  this  design. 
He  endeavoured,  therefore,  to  increase  their  co:  fidence  as  much 
as  possible. 

For  that  purpose  he  contrived  the  following  stratagem.  Our 
troops  were  posted  on  an  eminence,  and  formed  a  circle  round 
their  convoy  from  the  preceding  night,  which  order  they  still 
retained.  Colonel  Bouquet  gave  directions  that  two  comi)anie8 
of  troops,  who  had  been  posted  in  the  most  advanced  situations, 
should  fall  within  the  circle ;  the  troops  on  the  right  and  left 
immediately  opened  their  files,  and  filled  up  the  vacant  npace, 
that  they  might  seem  to  cover  their  retreat.  Another  company 
of  light  infantry,  with  one  of  grenadiers,  were  ordered  to  lie  in 
an  ambudcade,  to  support  the  two  first  companies  of  grenadiers, 
who  moved  on  the  feigned  retreat,  and  were  intended  to  begin 
the  real  attack.  The  dispositions  were  well  made,  and  the  plan 
executed  without  the  least  confusion. 

The  savages  were  led  completely  into  the  snare.  The  thin 
line  of  troops  which  took  possession  of  the  ground  which  the 
two  companies  of  light  troops  had  left,  being  brought  nearer  to 
the  centre  of  the  circle,  the  barbarians  mistook  those  motions 
for  a  retreat,  abandoned  the  wood  which  covered  them,  hurried 
headlong  on, — advancing  with  the  most  daring  intrepidity,  and 
galled  the  English  troops  with  their  heavy  fire.  But  at  the 
moment  when,  certain  of  success,  they  thought  themwelvcs 
masters  of  the  camp,  the  two  first  companies  made  a  sudden 
turn,  and  sallying  out  from  a  part  of  the  hill  which  could  not 
be  observed,  fell  furiously  upon  their  right  flank. 

The  savages,  though  they  found  themselves  disappointed 
and  exposed,  preserved  their  recollection,  and  resolutely  re- 
turned the  fire  which  they  had  received.  Then  it  wan  the 
superiority  of  combined  strength  and  discipline  appeared.     On 

r2 


/  1 


202 


PONTIACS  WAR 


the  second  charge  they  could  no  longer  sustain  the  irresistible 
shock  of  regular  troops,  who  rushing  upon  them,  killed  many, 
and  put  the  rest  to  flight. 

At  the  instant  when  the  savages  betook  themselves  to  flight, 
the  other  two  companies,  which  had  been  ordered  to  support 
the  first,  rose  from  the  ambuscade,  marched  to  the  enemy, 
and  gave  them  their  full  fire.  This  accomplished  their  defeat. 
The  four  companies  now  united,  did  not  give  the  enemy  time 
to  look  behind  them,  but  pursued  them  till  they  were  totally 
dispersed.  The  other  bodies  of  the  savages  attempted  nothing. 
They  were  kept  in  awe  during  the  engagement  by  the  rest  of 
the  British  troops,  who  were  so  posted,  as  to  be  ready  to  fall  on 
them  upon  the  least  motion.  Having  been  witness  to  the 
defeat  of  their  companions,  without  any  effort  to  support  or 
assist  them,  they  at  length  followed  their  example,  and  fled. 

This  judicious  and  successful  manoeuvre,  rescued  the  party 
from  the  most  immediate  danger.  The  victory  secured  the 
field,  and  cleared  all  the  adjacent  woods.  But  still  the  march 
was  so  difficult,  and  the  army  had  suffered  so  much,  and  so 
many  horses  were  lost,  that  before  they  were  able  to  proceed, 
they  were  reluctantly  obliged  to  destroy  such  part  of  their  con- 
voy of  provisions  as  they  could  not  carry  with  them,  for  want 
of  horses.  Being  lightened  by  this  sacrifice,  they  proceeded  to 
Bushy  Run,  where  finding  water,  they  encamped. 

The  enemy  lost  about  sixty  men  on  this  occasion,  some  of 
them  their  chief  warriors ;  which  they  reputed  a  very  severe 
stroke.  They  likewise  had  many  wounded  in  the  pursuit. 
The  English  lost  about  fifty  men,  and  had  about  sixty  wounded. 
The  savages  thus  signally  defeated  in  all  their  attempts  to  cut 
off  this  reinforcement  upon  its  march,  began  to  retreat  with  the 
utmost  precipitation  to  their  remote  settlements,  wholly  giving 
up  their  designs  against  Fort  Pitt,  at  which  place  Col.  Bouquet 
arrived  safe  with  his  convoy,  four  days  after  the  action ;  receiv- 
ing no  further  molestation  on  the  road,  except  a  few  scattered 
shot  from  a  disheartened  and  flying  enemy.* 

During  this  time,  Detroit  continued  to  be  blockaded,  and  the 
garrison  suffered  extremely  from  fatigue  and  want  of  provisions ; 
but  a  schooner  detached  from  Niagara,  with  twelve  whit^es  and 

*  History  of  Weitern  Penniylvani*. 


^ 


PONTIACS    WAR. 


203 


}le 


»g- 


■ 


six  Moliawks,  with  supplies,  arrived,  on  the  3d  of  September,  at 
the  river  Detroit.  While  at  anchor,  the  vessel  was  attacked  by 
about  350  Indians  in  boats ;  but  by  the  skill  and  bravery  of 
the  crew,  they  were  dispersed.  Two  of  the  crew  were  killed 
and  four  wounded.  The  others  carried  the  vessel  to  Detroit, 
and  thus  saved  the  garrison.  The  officers  of  the  fort  presented 
each  of  them  with  a  silver  medal,  descriptive  of  the  action. 

The  Indians  were  now  satisfied  with  the  triumphs  they  had 
obtained,  and  Pontiac  could  not  keep  them  in  the  field.  The 
chief  had  displayed  great  ability  in  conducting  the  war;  but  his 
people  were  not  disposed  to  sustain  him  any  further,  and  he 
saw  them  leave  him  to  treat  for  peace.  In  June,  1764,  a  treaty 
was  concluded  at  Niagara,  as  a  preliminary  to  definitive  nego- 
tiations at  Detroit  on  the  21st  of  August,  Bouquet  led  a 
strong  force  to  the  Upper  Muskingum,  concluded  a  treaty  with 
the  Delawares  and  Shawanese,  received  206  whites,  who  had 
been  in  captivity,  and  took  hostages  for  the  deliverance  of 
others.  (November,  1764.)  By  May,  1765,  peace  was  com- 
pletely restored. 

Pontiac,  the  master  spirit  of  the  Indians,  despairing  of  saving 
his  country  and  race  from  the  encroachments  of  the  English,  left 
his  tribe  and  went  into  the  West,  where  he  endeavoured  to  unite 
other  tribes,  but  failed.  He  was  assassinated  by  a  Kaskaskia 
Indian.  In  nobility  of  spirit,  and  force  of  genius,  he  was  much 
superior  to  any  Indian  chief  of  whom  we  have  any  account, 
except,  perhaps,  Tecumseh.  His  plan  of  extermination  was 
masterly,  and  treachery  alone  prevented  it  from  being  com- 
pletely successful. 


'  h 


•i  •■ 


LOOAN. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

DUNMORE'S  WAR. 

HE  settlements  of  Virginia 
spread  westward  very  rapidly 
in  spite  of  the  hostility  of  the 
Indians.  The  calamities  of 
savage  warfare  might  have  been 
warded  off,  if  the  pioneers  had 
possessed  a  certain  degree  of 
prudence  and  discretion ;  but  on 
several  occasions,  it  was  demon- 
strated that  the  whites  regarded 

the  Indians  as  inferiors,  and  did 

not  consider  them  entitled  to  be  treated  as  civilized  men.  The 
red  men  then  determined  that  if  they  could  not  be  received  as 
friends  and  equals,  they  should  be  felt  as  foes.    The  murder 

(204) 


( ;i 


DUNMORES  WAR. 


205 


of  the  old  chief,  Bald  Eagle,  and  other  Indians,  exasperated 
the  north-western  tribes,  till  they  thought  they  would  be  women 
to  remain  quiet  any  longer. 

In  1772,  there  was  an  Indian  town  on  the  little  Kenhawa, 
called  BuUtown,  inhabited  by  famiL<;s.,  who  were  in  habits  of 
social  and  friendly  intercourse  with  the  whites  on  Buchanan 
and  Hacker's  creeks.  There  was  likewise  residing  on  Gauley 
river,  the  family  of  a  German  by  the  name  of  Strond.  In  the 
summer  of  that  year,  Mr.  Strond  being  from  home,  his  family 
were  all  murdered,  his  house  plundered,  and  his  cattle  driven 
off.  The  trail  made  by  these,  leading  in  the  direction  of  Bull- 
town,  induced  the  supposition  that  the  Indians  of  that  village 
had  been  the  authors  of  the  outrage,  and  caused  several  to 
resolve  on  avenging  it  upon  them. 

A  party  of  five  men  (two  of  whom  were  William  White  and 
William  Hacker,  who  had  been  concerned  in  previous  murders) 
expressed  a  determination  to  proceed  immediately  to  BuUtown. 
The  remonstrance  of  the  settlement  generally,  could  not  operate 
to  effect  a  change  in  that  determination.  They  went ;  and  on 
their  return,  circumstances  justified  the  belief  that  the  pre- 
apprehension  of  those  who  knew  the  temper  and  feelings  of 
White  and  Hacker,  had  been  well  founded ;  and  that  there  had 
been  some  fighting  between  them  and  the  Indians.  And  not- 
withstanding that  they  denied  ever  having  seen  an  Indian  in 
their  absence,  yet  it  was  the  prevailing  opinion,  that  they  had 
destroyed  all  the  men,  women,  and  children  at  BuUtown,  and 
threw  their  bodies  into  the  river.  Indeed,  one  of  the  party  is 
said  to  have,  inadvertently,  used  expressions  confirmatory  of 
this  opinion ;  and  to  have  then  justified  the  deed,  by  saying 
that  the  clothes  and  other  things  known  to  have  belonged  to 
Strond's  family,  were  found  in  the  possession  of  the  Indians. 
The  village  was  soon  after  visited,  and  found  to  be  entirely 
desolated,  and  nothing  being  ever  after  heard  of  its  former  in- 
habitants, there  can  remain  no  doubt  but  that  the  murder  of 
Strond's  family  was  requited  on  them. 

The  commission  of  these  outrages  in  the  time  of  professed 
peace,  was  of  itself  suflficient  to  cause  a  revival  of  hostilities ; 
yet  not  until  crimes  still  of  a  deeper  dye  were  perpetrated,  was 
there  any  attempt  at  retaliation. 
26  S 


206 


dunmore's  war. 


n 


In  the  spring  of  1774,  it  appears  there  were  some  horset* 
stolen  by  the  Indians  from  a  party  of  land-jobbers  on  the  Ohio, 
below  Wheeling,  which  was  looked  upon  as  a  signal  for  the 
commencement  of  a  war  against  the  frontiers.  And  consequently 
those  that  delighted  in  a  renewal  of  open  hostilities,  were 
ready  to  be  avenged  of  the  depredators,  however  small  the 
offence. 

The  land-jobbers  shortly  afterwards  being  collected  at  Wheel- 
ing, heard  of  a  couple  of  Indians  and  some  traders  coming  down 
the  river,  then  but  a  short  distance  above.  It  was  immediately 
proposed  by  Captain  Cresap,  the  commandant  of  the  station, 
that  he  would  go  up  with  a  small  party  and  kill  the  Indians. 
The  project  was  opposed  by  Colonel  Zane,  but  the  party  left, 
and  on  their  return  being  asked  respecting  the  Indians,  they 
evasively  answered  that  they  had  fallen  overboard  into  the 
river ;  however,  allowing  it  to  be  understood  that  they  had  been 
killed  by  them  and  thrown  into  the  river. 

On  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  news  reached  them  that  a 
party  of  Indians  were  encamped  at  the  mouth  of  Grave  creek, 
a  few  miles  below ;  when  they  forthwith  proceeded  down  the 
river,  and  falling  upon  them,  killed  several  and  put  the  rest  to 
flight.  In  the  skirmish  one  of  Cresap's  men  was  severely 
wounded,  which  was  the  only  injury  received. 

The  Indians  thus  appearing  in  the  neighbourhood  in  parties, 
was  looked  upon  as  undeniable  evidence  of  their  intention  to 
fall  upon  the  whites ;  and  attacks  were  hourly  expected. 

A  short  time  after  the  skirmish  at  Grave  creek,  it  was  known 
that  a  number  of  Indians  were  encamped  at  the  mouth  of 
Yellow  creek,  some  distance  above  Wheeling.  And  on  account 
of  some  settlers  living  in  that  neighbourhood,  fears  were  ex- 
pressed for  their  safety,  and  it  was  proposed  that  a  party  should 
be  sent  from  Wheeling  for  the  purpose  of  routing  the  Indians. 
Thirty-two  men  were  accordingly  raised,  and  immediately 
marched  under  the  command  of  Daniel  Greathouse,  who  had 
been  a  terrible  enemy  to  the  savages,  in  time  of  war  or  peace. 
Secretly  reaching  the  vicinity  of  a  cabin  of  a  settler  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river  from  the  Indians,  the  party  concealed 
themselves,  while  Greathouse,  with  a  show  of  friendship,  went 
over  to  the  Indian  encampment  to  ascertain  their  strength. 


%> 


DUNMORES  WAR. 


207 


While  there  he  was  privately  admonished  by  an  Indian  woman 
to  leave,  for  the  warriors,  she  said,  were  on  a  frolic,  and  being 
displeased  on  account  of  the  murder  of  their  {)eople  at  Grave 
creek,  might  do  him  harm. 

On  the  return  of  Greathouse  to  the  party,  he  reported  that 
the  enemy  was  too  strong  for  an  open  attack,  and  that  some 
stratagem  must  be  resorted  to. 

The  liquor  they  were  using  they  had  obtained  from  the 
settlers,  and  were  frequently  crossing  back  and  forwards  for  it. 
Greathouse  went  to  the  cabin  and  advised  that  they  should  be 
given  freely,  as  much  as  they  wanted;  and  an  endeavour 
made,  not  only  to  detain  such  as  came  over,  but  invitations  be 
sent  for  others  to  come,  that  they  might  be  separated  con- 
siderably, when  an  attack  should  be  suddenly  commenced  upon 
them. 

The  plan  succeeded  well.  Several,  after  a  time,  were  gathered 
into  the  cabin,  and  soon  became  quite  intoxicated ;  when  they 
were  fallen  upon  by  the  party  rushing  in,  and  all  killed  but  a 
young  Indian  girl. 

Those  across  the  river  at  the  encampment  hearing  the  firing, 
immediately  sent  some  over  in  canoes  to  ascertain  the  cause, 
who  were  permitted  to  land,  but  no  sooner  on  the  shore  than 
they  were  fallen  upon  and  killed.  The  party  not  returning, 
another  was  detached  from  the  encampment  to  their  aid,  for 
they  began  to  correctly  apprehend  the  whole  disturbance. 
Before  these  had  reached  the  shore,  a  fire  was  opened  upon 
them,  and  the  most  of  them  killed,  while  the  survivors  retreated 
back  to  the  other  shore.  An  attack  was  now  made  by  the 
Indians  from  the  other  side  of  the  river,  but  without  effect. 

The  family  of  the  celebrated  Logan,  the  Mingo  chief,  and 
former  friend  of  the  white  man,  was  principally  murdered  at 
this  place  and  at  Grave  creek,  which  called  forth  a  fearful 
revenge  upon  the  frontiers. 

On  the  12th  of  July,  1774,  Logan,  at  the  head  of  a  small 
party  of  only  eight  warriors,  struck  a  blow  on  some  inhabitants 
upon  the  Muskingum,  where  no  one  expected  it.  He  had  left 
the  settlements  in  the  Ohio  undisturbed,  which  every  one  sup- 
posed would  be  the  first  attacked,  in  case  of  war,  and  hence  the 
reason  of  his  great  successes.     His  first  attack  wan  upon  three 


208 


DUNMORES  WAR. 


men  who  were  pulling  flax  in  a  field.  One  was  shot  down, 
and  the  two  others  taken.  These  were  marched  into  the  wil- 
derness, and,  as  they  approached  the  Indian  town,  Logan  gave 
the  scalp  halloo,  and  they  were  met  by  the  inhabitants,  who  con- 
ducted them  in.  Running  the  gauntlet  was  next  to  be  performed. 
Logan  took  no  delight  in  tortures,  and  he  in  the  most  friendly 
manner  instructed  one  of  the  captives  how  to  proceed  to  escape 
the  severities  of  the  gauntlet.  This  same  captive,  whose  name 
was  Robinson,  was  afterwards  sentenced  to  be  burned ;  but 
Logan,  though  not  able  to  rescue  him  by  his  eloquence,  with 
his  own  hand  cut  the  cords  that  bound  him  to  the  stake,  and 
caused  him  to  be  adopted  into  an  Ladian  family.  He  became 
afterwards  Logan's  scribe. 

The  Virginia  Legislature  was  in  session,  when  the  Indians 
began  their  depredations.  That  body  immediately  resolved  to 
raise  an  army  of  about  three  thousand  men,  and  march  into 
the  heart  of  the  Indian  country.  One-half  of  the  required 
number  of  men  were  to  be  drawn  from  Virginia,  and  the  com- 
mand was  given  to  General  Andrew  Lewis,  a  man  of  cool, 
determined  temper,  and  possessed  of  considerable  military  skill. 
The  remainder  of  the  troops  were  to  be  raised  in  Pennsylvania, 
and  were  to  be  under  Governor  Dunmore's  immediate  orders. 
Dunmore  directed  General  Lewis  to  proceed  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Kenhawa,  where  the  two  divisions  would  unite. 

By  the  11th  of  September,  Lewis's  division  was  ready  to  march. 
A  competent  guide  was  secured,  and  in  nineteen  days,  the 
troops  arrived  at  the  appointed  rendezvous.  On  the  next 
morning,  the  1st  of  October,  two  men  were  out  some  distance 
from  the  camp,  in  pursuit  of  deer,  and  were  fired  upon  by  a 
large  body  of  Indians;  one  was  killed,  and  the  other,  with 
difficulty,  retreated  to  the  camp,  to  which  he  immediately  com- 
municated the  alarm. 

General  Lewis  was  a  remarkably  cool  and  considerate  man ; 
and  upon  being  informed  of  this,  "  after  deliberately  lighting 
his  pipe,"  gave  orders  that  the  regiment  under  his  brother 
Colonel  Charles  Lewis,  and  another  under  Colonel  Fleming, 
should  march  and  reconnoitre  the  enemy,  while  he  would  place 
the  remainder  of  the  troops  in  order  for  battle.  The  two  re- 
giments marched  without  delay,  and  had  not  proceeded  more 


DUNMORES    WAR. 


209 


l\l' 


than  four  hundred  yards  when  they  were  met  by  the  Indians, 
opproaching  for  the  same  purpose.  A  skirmish  immediately 
ensued,  and  before  the  contest  had  continued  long,  the  colonels 
of  the  two  regiments  fell  mortally  wounded,  when  a  disorder  in 
the  ranks  followed,  and  the  troops  began  a  precipitate  retreat ; 
but  almost  at  this  moment  another  regiment  under  Colonel 
Field  arriving  to  their  aid,  and  coming  up  with  great  firmness 
to  the  attack,  effectually  checked  the  savages  in  the  pursuit,  and 
obliged  them  in  turn  to  give  way  till  they  had  retired  behind 
a  breastwork  of  logs  and  brush  which  they  had  partially  con- 
structed. 

Lewis,  on  his  arrival  at  the  place,  had  encamped  quite  on 
the  point  of  land  between  the  Ohio  and  Kenhawa,  and  having 
moved  but  a  short  distance  out  to  the  attack,  the  distance 
across  from  river  to  river  was  still  but  short.  The  Indians 
soon  extending  their  ranks  entirely  across,  had  the  Virginians 
completely  hemmed  in,  and  in  the  event  of  getting  the  better 
of  them,  had  them  at  their  disposal,  as  there  could  have  been 
no  chance  for  escape. 

Never  was  ground  maintained  with  more  obstinacy ;  for  it 
was  slowly,  and  with  no  precipitancy,  that  the  Indians  retired 
to  their  breastwork.  The  division  under  Lewis  was  first  broken, 
although  that  under  Fleming  was  nearly  at  the  same  moment 
attacked.  This  heroic  officer  first  received  two  balls  through 
his  left  wrist,  but  continued  to  exercise  his  command  with  the 
greatest  coolness  and  presence  of  mind.  His  voice  was  con- 
tinually heard,  "Don't  lose  an  inch  of  ground.  Advance, 
outflank  the  enemy,  and  get  between  them  and  the  river."  But 
his  men  were  about  to  be  outflanked  by  the  body  that  had  just 
defeated  Lewis ;  meanwhile  the  arrival  of  Colonel  Field  turned 
the  fortune  of  the  day,  but  not  without  a  severe  loss ;  Colonel 
Fleming  was  again  wounded,  by  a  shot  through  the  lungs ;  yet 
he  would  not  retire,  and  Colonel  Field  was  killed  as  he  was 
leading  on  his  men.  The  whole  line  of  the  breastwork  now 
became  as  a  blaze  of  fire,  which  lasted  nearly  till  the  close  of 
the  day.  Here  the  Indians  under  Logan,  Cornstock,  Elenipsico, 
Red-Eagle,  and  other  mighty  chiefs  of  the  tribes  of  the  Shaw- 
nees,  Delawares,  Mingos,  Wyandots,  and  Cayugas,  amounting, 
as  was  supposed,  to  fifteen  hundred  warriors,  fought,  as  men 

s2 


210 


dunmore's  war. 


will  ever  do  for  their  country's  wrongs,  with  a  bravery  which 
could  only  be  equalled.  The  voice  of  the  great  Comstock  was 
often  heard  during  the  day,  above  the  din  of  strife,  shouting : 
" Be  strong !  Be  strong!"  And  when  by  the  repeated  charges 
of  the  whites,  some  of  his  warriors  began  to  waver,  he  is  said 
to  have  sunk  his  tomakawk  into  the  head  of  one,  who  was 
cowardly  endeavouring  to  desert.  General  Lewis,  finding  at 
length  that  every  charge  upon  the  lines  of  the  Indians  lessened 
the  number  of  his  forces  to  an  alarming  degree,  and  rightly 
judging  that  if  the  Indians  were  not  routed  before  it  was  dark, 
a  day  of  more  doubt  might  follow,  ho  resolved  to  throw  a  body, 
if  possible,  into  their  roar.  As  the  good  fortune  of  the  Vir- 
ginians turned,  the  bank  of  the  river  favoured  this  project,  and 
forthwith  three  companies  were  detached  upon  the  enterprise, 
under  the  three  captains,  Isaac  Shelby,  (after  renowed  in  the 
revolution,  and  since  in  the  war  with  Canada),  George  Matthews, 
and  John  Stewart.  These  companies  got  unobserved  to  their 
place  of  destination  upon  Crooked  Creek,  which  runs  into  the 
Kenhawa.  From  the  high  weeds  upon  the  banks  of  this  little 
stream,  they  rushed  upon  the  backs  of  the  Indians  with  such 
fury,  as  to  drive  them  from  their  works  with  precipitation. 
The  day  was  now  decided.  The  Indians,  thus  beset  from  a 
quarter  they  did  not  expect,  were  ready  to  conclude  that  a  re- 
inforcement had  arrived.  It  was  about  sunset  when  they  fled 
across  the  Ohio,  and  immediately  took  up  their  march  for  their 
towns  on  the  Sciota. 

Of  the  loss  of  both  Indians  and  whites  in  this  engagement, 
various  statements  have  been  given.  A  number  amounting  to 
seventy-five  killed,  and  one  hundred  and  forty  wounded  of  the 
whites,  has  been  rendered ;  with  a  loss  on  the  part  of  the  In- 
dians not  so  great,  but  not  correctly  known.* 

Governor  Dunmore,  having  collected  his  troops  at  Fort  Pitt, 
descended  the  Ohio  to  Wheeling,  and  thence  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Hockhocking.  On  arriving  at  that  point,  he  sent  two 
jcouts,  one  of  whom  was  the  famous  Simon  Girty,  to  General 
Lewis,  to  march  to  the  Shawnee  towns,  where  a  junction 
should  take  place.  The  Governor  then  proceeded  towards  the 
Piqua  plains.     Before  he  had  reached  that  place,  the  Indians 

*  History  of  tbo  Baokwoodf. 


DUNMORES  WAR 


211 


SIMON  aiRTT. 


sent  messengers  to  meet  him,  suing  for  peace.  After  some  de- 
liberation, Dunmore  determined  to  comply,  and  sent  nn  express 
to  General  Lewis,  ordering  him  to  retreat.  Lewis  supposed  the 
Governor  was  ignorant  of  the  victory  at  Point  Pleasant,  and 
continued  his  march  until  he  was  mot  by  Dunmore  in  person, 
when  a  retreat,  in  compliance  with  his  orders,  was  commenced 
with  great  reluctance. 

An  encampment  being  made  by  the  governor,  a  council  was 
opened  on  the  ensuing  day. 

Cornstock,  the  Shawnee  chief,  opened  the  meeting  with  a 
warm  and  animated  speech,  in  which  ho  boldly  attributed  the 
occasion  of  the  war  to  the  murder  of  their  people  above  and 
below  Wheeling. 

He  displayed  the  skill  of  a  statesman,  joined  to  powers  of 
oratory,  rarely,  if  ever  surpassed.  With  tho  most  patriotic  de- 
votion to  his  country,  and  in  a  strain  of  most  commanding 


212 


DUNMORES   WAR. 


eloquence,  ho  recapitulated  the  accumulated  wrongH  which  had 
oppressed  their  fathers,  and  which  were  oppressing  them 
Sketching  in  lively  colours  the  once  happy  and  powerful  con- 
dition of  the  Indians,  he  placed  in  striking  contrast  their  pre- 
sent fallen  fortunes  and  unhappy  destiny.  lie  is  said  to  have 
been  opposed  to  the  war  from  its  commencement ;  and  to  have 
proposed  on  the  eve  of  the  battle  at  Point  Pleasant,  to  send  in 
a  flag,  and  make  overtures  for  peace ;  but  this  proposal  was 
overruled  by  the  general  voice  of  the  chiefs.  When  a  council 
was  first  held  after  the  defeat  of  the  Indians,  Comstock  remind- 
ing them  of  their  late  ill-success,  and  that  the  Long  Knives 
were  still  pressing  on  them,  asked  what  should  be  then  done. 
But  no  one  answered.  Rising  again,  he  proposed  that  the 
women  and  children  should  all  be  killed  ;  and  that  the  warriors 
should  go  out  and  light  until  they  too  were  slain.  Still  no 
one  answered.  Then,  said  he,  striking  his  tomahawk  into  the 
council-post,  "  I  will  go  and  make  peace."  Peace  was  accord- 
ingly sued  for,  and  the  treaty  held. 

Logan  would  not  meet  the  whites  in  council,  but  remained 
in  his  cabin  in  sullen  silence,  until  a  messenger  was  sent  to  him 
to  know  whether  he  would  accede  to  the  proposals  it  contained. 
What  the  distance  was  from  the  treaty-ground  to  Logan's  cabin 
we  are  not  told ;  but  of  such  importance  was  his  name  con- 
sidered, that  he  was  waited  on  by  a  messenger  from  Lord 
Dunmore,  who  requested  his  assent  to  the  articles  of  the  treaty. 
Logan  hod  too  much  at  heart  the  wrongs  lately  done  him  to 
accede  without  giving  the  messenger  to  understand  fully  the 
grounds  upon  which  he  acceded ;  he  therefore  invited  him  into 
an  adjacent  wood,  where  they  sat  down  together.  Here  he 
related  the  events  of  butchery  which  had  deprived  him  of  all 
his  connexions;  and  here  he  pronounced  his  memorable 
speech : 

"  I  appeal  to  any  white  man  to  say,  if  ever  he  entered  Logan's 
cabin  hungry,  and  he  gave  him  no  meat  j  if  ever  he  came  cold 
and  naked,  and  he  clothed  him  not. 

"  During  the  course  of  the  last  long  bloody  war,  Logan  re- 
mained idle  in  his  cabin,  an  advocate  for  peace.  Such  was 
my  love  for  the  whites,  that  my  countrymen  pointed  as  they 
passed,  and  said,  ^  Logan  is  the  friend  of  the  white  man." 


\i 


eomnTALi. 


27 


DUNMORES  WAR. 


215 


"  I  had  ev^n  thought  to  have  lived  with  you,  but  for  the 
injuries  of  one  man.  Colonel  Crcsap,  the  lost  spring,  in  cold 
blood,  and  unprovoked,  murdered  all  the  relations  of  Logan ; 
not  even  sparing  my  women  and  children. 

"  There  runs  not  a  drop  of  my  blood  in  the  veins  of  any 
living  creature.  This  called  on  me  for  revenge.  I  have  sought 
it.  I  have  killed  many.  I  have  fully  glutted  my  vengeance. 
For  my  country,  I  rejoice  at  the  beams  of  peace.  But  do  not 
harbour  a  thought  that  mine  is  the  joy  of  fear.  Logan  never 
felt  fear.  He  will  not  turn  on  his  heel  to  save  his  life.  Who 
is  there  to  mourn  for  Logan  ? — Not  one !" 

The  treaty  of  peace  was  not  satisfactory  to  the  people  of  Vir- 
ginia, and  they  boldly  asserted  that  Governor  Dunmore  had 
made  the  war  for  the  purpose  of  breaking  the  proud  spirit  of 
the  provincials.  But  the  Governor  could  not  have  obtnincd 
terms  more  advantageous  to  the  whites  without  wronging  the 
Indians. 

The  noble  chiefs,  Logan  and  Cornstock,  were  both  murdered. 
They  were  the  friends  of  the  whites  up  to  the  time  of  their 
death.  The  murder  of  Cornstock  was  an  act  of  the  most  d(! test- 
able barbarity.  In  the  spring  of  1777,  he  went  with  his  »o\\, 
Ellinipsico,  to  the  Fort  at  Point  Pleasant,  and  was  on  intimate 
terms  with  the  officers  of  the  garrison.  While  the  chiefs  were 
in  the  fort,  one  of  the  rangers,  named  Gilmore,  was  killed  by 
Indians  of  a  hostile  tribe.  His  friends  immediately  came  to  the 
fort,  and,  in  revenge,  shot  Cornstock  and  his  son  dead  upon  the 
spot.  The  officers  dared  not  attempt  to  prevent  the  murder  or 
punish  the  murderers.  Cornstock  met  his  fate  with  heroic 
resignation.  The  Shawnees  immediately  took  up  arms  for  the 
British  cause,  and  took  a  dreadful  vengeance  for  the  slaughter 
of  tb'ur  mighty  chief. 


>     I 


Hi. 


THE  mNUTK  ICAN. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE  REVOLUTION. 

ROM  the  time  of  the  first  settlement 
of  Virginia  and  Massachusetts,  the  colo- 
nists had  displayed  an  unquenchable  love 
of  free  institutions.  In  general,  they  had 
their  representative  assemblies,  and  the 
assent  of  those  bodies  was  necessary  to  the 
effective  operations  of  the  government. 
All  assertions  of  an  extensive  royal  pre- 
rogative met  with  a  determined  resistance.  Quarrels  between 
the  governors,  appointed  by  the  sovereigns  of  Great  Britain,  and 
the  colonists,  were  frequent,  and  it  is  to  be  observed,  that  the 
people  generally  came  out  of  those  contests  triumphant.  During 
the  wars  with  the  Indians  and  French,  the  provinces  did  not 
receive  that  amount  of  assistance  to  which  they  thought  them- 
selves  entitled,  and  were  forced  to  depend  upon  their  own  exer- 
tions and  resources.  This  necessity  developed  their  strength  and 
gave  them  confidence;  so  that  after  the  destruction  of  the  French 

(216)      , 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


217 


power  in  America,  we  find  them  making  bolder  assertions  of 
their  rights.  Unfortunately  for  the  British  govemment,  its 
ministers,  instead  of  yielding  something  to  this  rising  spirit, 
sought  to  heap  additional  burdens  upon  the  colonists,  and  that, 
too,  without  allowing  them,  what  all  British  subjects  had  a 
constitutional  right  to  demand,  a  representation  in  parliament. 
This  course  provoked  resistance ;  and  bold,  determined,  and 
eloquent  men  were  found  to  lead  the  friends  of  civil  liberty. 
In  Massachusetts,  James  Otis,  Joseph  Warren,  Samuel  Adams, 
and  John  Adams  were  prominent  upon  the  patriotic  side.  In 
Virginia,  the  thunders  of  Patrick  Henry  sounded  the  alarm. 

In  1764,  Mr.  Grenville,  in  the  British  parliament,  proposed 
a  measure,  the  avowed  object  of  which  was  to  raise  a  revenue 
in  America,  the  entire  produce  of  which  was  to  go  into  the  ex- 
chequer of  Great  Britain.  Early  in  this  year,  the  minister 
proposed  several  resolutions,  as  a  sort  of  prelude  to  this  grand 
scheme ;  laying  additional  duties  upon  imports  into  the  colonies 
from  foreign  countries;  on  clayed  sugar,  indigo,  coffee,  &c. 
These  resolutions  were  passed  by  parliament,  without  much 
debate  or  notice ;  and  though  they  awakened  some  fears  among 
the  reflecting  politicians  of  America,  they  were  quietly  ac- 
quiesced in,  as  a  commercial  regulation  of  Great  Britain. 

Among  the  resolutions  reported  by  Mr.  Grenville,  was  one 
imposing  " certain  stamp  duties  on  the  colonies;"  but  he  de^ 
clared  to  the  house,  his  desire  that  it  should  not  be  acted  upon 
until  the  next  session  of  parliament.  It  was  foreseen  that  the 
law  would  be  disregarded,  if  extraordinary  measures  were  not 
adopted  to  enforce  it;  and  provision  made  that  penalties  for 
violating  it,  and  all  other  revenue  laws,  might  be  recovered  in 
the  admiralty  courts.  The  judges  of  these  courts  were  de- 
pendent solely  on  the  king,  and  decided  the  causes  brought 
before  them  without  the  intervention  of  a  jury. 

The  colonial  agents  in  London  sent  copies  of  the  resolutions 
to  their  respective  colonies.  As  soon  as  the  intelligence  of  these 
proceedings  reached  America,  they  were  considered  as  the  com- 
mencement of  a  system  of  oppression,  which,  if  not  vigorously 
resisted,  would  eventually  deprive  them  of  the  liberty  of  British 
subjects.  The  General  Court  of  Massachusetts,  at  their  session 
in  June,  took  this  law  into  consideration.    The  house  of  Repre- 


■jiMi^Li 


218 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


sentatives  sent  instructions  to  their  agent  in  England,  in  which 
they  denied  the  right  of  parliament  to  impose  duties  and  taxes 
upon  those  who  were  not  represented  in  the  house  of  Commons ; 
and  directed  him  to  remonstrate  against  the  duties  imposed, 
and  the  stamp  act  in  contemplation.  They  acquainted  the  other 
colonies  with  the  instructions  they  had  given  to  their  agent, 
and  desired  their  concurrence.  When  their  communication 
was  received  in  the  house  of  Burgesses  in  Virginia,  a  committee 
was  immediately  appointed  to  prepare  an  address  to  the  king 
and  two  houses  of  parliament,  expressing  their  sense  of  the 
consequences  of  such  a  measure  to  the  colonies.  Every  argument 
which  ingenuity  could  furnish,  or  interest  could  enforce,  was 
employed,  in  order  to  prevent  the  passage  of  the  obnoxious 
statutes ;  but  all  without  effect.  Associations  were  formed  in 
all  the  provinces,  in  order  to  diminish  the  use  of  British  ma- 
nufactures ;  a  step  which,  besides  its  immediate  effects,  rendered 
the  merchants  of  England  a  party  against  the  ministry,  and 
increased  the  opposition  with  which  those  in  power  were 
obliged  to  contend. 

In  March  1765,  Mr.  Grenville,  not  deterred  by  an  opposition 
which  he  had  expected,  brought  into  parliament  a  bill  for  im- 
posing duties  in  America.  The  friends  of  the  administration 
employed  much  able  reasoning  in  support  of  the  bill.  Among 
those  who  distinguished  themselves  by  the  ability  and  el'^quence 
with  which  they  advocated  the  cause  of  the  colonies,  was  Colonel 
Barr^.  He  stated  with  a  manly  freedom,  that  the  same  spirit 
which  had  actuated  the  people  at  first,  still  continued  with  them. 
He  insinuated,  in  a  way  that  could  not  be  mistaken,  what  would 
be  the  effect  of  the  measure  which  England  was  about  to  adopt. 
He  declared  that  he  spoke  from  a  particular  acquaintance  with 
the  character  of  the  Americans,  and  expressed  his  belief,  that 
while  they  were  jealous  of  their  rights,  they  were  loyal  to  their 
king ;  and  finally,  he  entreated  the  ministry  to  pause  before 
they  ordained  that  the  privileges  of  Englishmen  were  to  be 
invaded  or  destroyed. 

Eloquence  and  argument,  however,  availed  nothing.  The 
bill  almost  unanimously  passed  in  parliament;  and  received  the 
sanction  of  the  crown.  The  night  after  its  passage.  Dr.  Frank- 
lin,, then  in  England  as  agent  for  Pennsylvania,  wrote  to  Charles 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


219 


^■'^^■A 


OOLOmEL  BARRE. 


Thompson,  his  friend,  in  America—"  The  sun  of  liberty  is  set; 
you  must  light  up  the  candles  of  industry  and  economy." 
"Be  assured,"  said  Mr.  Thompson  in  reply,  "we  shall  light  up 
torches  of  quite  another  sort ;" — thus  predicting  the  commotions 
which  followed.  The  act  provided  that  all  contracts  and  legal 
processes  should  be  written  on  stamped  paper,  which  was  to  be 
furnished  by  agents  of  the  British  government,  at  exorbitant 
prices. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  news  of  the  stamp  act  in  America,  a 
general  indignation  spread  throughout  the  colonies ;  and  spirited 
resolutions  were  passed.  In  these  resolutions  Virginia  led  the 
way.  On  the  meeting  of  the  house  of  Burgesses,  Patrick  Henry 
proposed  five  resolutions;  the  four  first  asserted  the  various 
rights  and  privileges  claimed  by  the  colonists ;  and  the  fifth  boldly 
and  explicitly  denied  the  right  of  parliament  to  tax  America. 
These  he  defended  by  strong  reasoning  and  irresistible  eloquence, 
and  they  were  adopted  by  a  majority  of  one.  The  next  day, 
in  his  absence,  the  fifth  was  rescinded ;  but  this  with  the  rest 
had  gone  forth  to  the  world.  They  formed  the  first  public  op- 
position to  the  stamp  act,  and  to  the  schemes  of  taxing  America 
by  the  British  parliament.    Nearly  at  the  same  time,  and  be- 


220 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


PATRICK   BENHT. 


fore  the  proceedings  of  Virginia  were  known  in  Massachusetts, 
her  General  Court  had  also  adopted  measures  to  produce  a  com- 
bined opposition.  Letters  Avere  addressed  to  the  other  Assem- 
l)lies,  proposing  a  congress  of  deputies  from  each  colony,  to 
consult  on  the  common  interest.  The  knowledge  of  what  had 
been  done  in  Virginia  aroused  the  most  violent  feelings.  The 
resolutions,  which  at  first  were  circulated  cautiously,  were  at 
length  openly  published  in  newspapers ;  and  one  general  feeling 
of  indignation  pervaded  all  classes  of  society. 

On  the  first  Tuesday  of  October,  1765,  the  day  appointed  for 
the  meeting  of  the  proposed  congress,  the  delegates  assembled 
at  New  York,  where  were  present  members  from  Massachusetts, 
Rhode  Island,  Connecticut,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Delar 
ware,  Maryland,  and  South  Carolina.  A  committee  from  six 
of  the  provinces  drew  up  a  declaration  of  their  rights  and 
grievances.  They  declared  themselves  entitled  to  all  the  rights 
and  liberties  of  natural  born  subjects  of  Great  Britain  :  among 
the  most  essential  of  which,  were  the  exclusive  right  to  tax 
themselves,  and  the  privilege  of  trial  by  jury.  The  ui':t  of 
these  they  regarded  as  infringed  by  the  stamp  act ;  the  last, 
by  the  extension  of  the  jurisdiction  of  the  courts  of  admiralty. 


'I       ' 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


221 


to 


The  congress  also  agreed  upon  a  petition  to  the  king,  and  a 
memorial  to  both  houses  of  parliament.  The  colonies  not 
represented,  forwarded  to  England  similar  petitions. 

The  1st  of  November,  the  important  day  when  the  stamp 
act  was  to  take  effect,  at  length  approached.  Combinations 
were  everywhere  formed  to  prevent  its  execution.  The  violence 
of  the  populace  could  with  difficulty  be  restrained.  In  some 
places  the  day  was  ushered  in  with  the  tolling  of  bells,  as  for  a 
funeral  procession.  The  act  which  was  the  object  of  their 
aversion,  was  hawked  in  the  streets  with  a  death's  head 
attached  to  it.  It  was  styled  the  "  Folly  of  England,  and  the 
ruin  of  America."  The  stamps  were  destroyed  wherever  they 
could  be  found  by  the  enraged  multitude ;  who,  with  all  the 
intemperance  of  popular  agitation,  burned  and  plundered  the 
houses  of  such  as  supported  the  act.  So  general  was  the  oppo- 
sition to  the  law,  that  the  stamp  officers  in  all  the  colonies  were 
obliged  to  resign.  Opposition  became  general,  systematic,  and 
alarming.  Confederacies  were  everywhere  forming.  It  was 
universally  agreed  that  no  articles  of  British  manufacture  should 
be  imported,  and  that  those  which  were  prepared  in  the  colonies, 
though  both  dearer  and  of  worse  quality,  should  be  employed 
in  all  the  settlements.  The  women,  animated  with  a  similar 
spirit,  cheerfully  relinquished  every  species  of  ornament  which 
was  manufactured  in  England.  The  proceedings  in  the  courts 
of  justices  were  suspended,  that  no  stamps  might  be  used ;  and 
the  colonists  were  earnestly  and  frequently  exhorted  by  those 
who  took  the  lead  on  this  occasion,  to  terminate  their  disputes 
by  reference. 

In  the  mean  time  an  entire  change  had  taken  place  in  the 
British  cabinet :  the  Marquis  of  Rockingham  became  first  lord 
of  the  treasury;  and  it  was  perceived  that  they  must  either 
repeal  the  obnoxious  statutes,  or  oblige  the  Americans  to  submit 
to  them  by  force  of  arms.  Each  of  these  measures  had  its 
advocates.  Among  the  foremost  to  vindicate  the  colonies,  in 
the  house  of  Peers,  was  Lord  Camden.  "  My  position,"  said  he, 
"is  this;  I  repeat  it,  I  will  maintain  it  to  my  last  hour — 
taxation  and  representation  are  inseparable.  This  position  is 
founded  on  the  laws  of  nature  ;  it  is  more — it  is  itself  an  eternal 
law  of  nature ;  for  whatever  is  a  man's  own  is  absolutely  his 
28  T 


\t 


'h 


T 


222 


THE    REYOLUTION. 


own;  no  man  has  a  right  to  take  it  from  him  without  his 
consent.  Whoever  attempts  to  do  it,  attempts  an  injury; 
whoever  does  it,  commits  a  robbery." 

In  the  house  of  commons,  Lord  Chatham  entered  into  the 
views  of  the  colonists ;  and  maintained  with  all  the  eloquence 
for  which  he  was  conspicuous,  that  taxation  is  no  part  of  the 
governing  or  legislative  power,  but  that  taxes  are  a  voluntary 
gift  and  grant  of  the  commons  alone  :  and  concluded  his  speech 
with  a  motion,  "that  the  stamp  act  be  repealed,  absolutely, 
totally,  and  immediately." 

About  this  time  (1766)  Dr.  Franklin  was  examined  before 
the  house  of  commons,  and  gave  it  as  his  opinion,  that  the  tax 
was  unprofitable  and  ruinous.  He  asserted  that  it  had  alien- 
ated the  affections  of  the  colonists  from  the  mother-country, 
and  made  them  regard  the  people  of  England  as  conspiring 
against  their  liberties,  and  its  parliament  as  desirous  to  oppress 
rather  than  to  protect  them.  A  petition  was  received  from  the 
Congress  at  New  York ;  and  some  change  having  taken  place  in 
the  cabinet,  the  existing  administration  agreed  with  Lord 
Chatham,  and  the  stamp  act  was  repealed.  But  accompanying 
the  repeal  of  the  stamp  act,  was  published  another  act,  de- 
claring, "  that  parliament  have,  and  of  right  ought  to  have, 
power  to  bind  the  colonies  in  all  cases  whatsoever."  This  asser- 
tion diminished  the  joy  which  the  repeal  of  the  stamp  act  would 
otherwise  have  occasioned.  It  was  considered  by  the  Americans 
as  a  foundation  on  which  any  future  ministry  might  oppress 
them,  under  the  sanction  of  parliamentary  authority ;  and  it 
had  no  other  effect  than  that  of  rendering  them  more  suspicious 
of  arbitrary  designs,  and  more  solicitous  to  mark  with  a  jealous 
eye  the  first  encroachments  of  power. 

An  opportunity  for  the  exercise  of  this  spirit  was  not  long 
wanting.  Immediately  after  the  ratification  of  the  treaty  of 
peace  at  Paris,  the  intention  of  the  ministers  to  quarter  troops 
in  America,  and  oblige  the  colonies  to  support  them,  was  an- 
nounced in  the  English  papers.  The  maintaining  of  a  standing 
army  was  connected  with  the  system  of  taxation,  but  the  ministry 
well  knew  it  would  be  opposed,  and  they  calculated  that  an 
army  sent  under  pretence  of  protecting  the  colonies,  afforded  a 
plausible  pretext  for  taxing  them,  while  it  would  awe  them 


THE   REVOLUTION. 


223 


into  submission  to  the  mandates  of  the  British  government. 
An  act  had  been  passed  by  the  Rockingham  administration, 
for  providing  the  soldiers,  who  had  been  quartered  in  the 
colonies,  with  the  necessaries  and  accommodations  which  their 
circumstances  might  require,  at  the  expense  of  the  colony  in 
which  they  were  stationed.  The  Assembly  of  New  York  refused 
obedience  to  this  law,  considering  it  an  indirect  mode  of  taxing 
them  without  their  consent.  The  Asseml)ly  at  Boston  not  only 
followed  the  example  of  that  of  New  York,  but  proceeded  still 
further;  and  resolved,  that  the  conduct  of  the  governor,  in 
issuing  money  from  the  treasury  in  order  to  furnish  the  artillery 
with  provisions,  was  unconstitutional  and  unjust;  and  that  it 
disabled  them  from  granting  cheerfully  to  the  king  the  aids 
which  his  service  demanded.  These  resolutions  wore  not  ap- 
proved in  England,  even  by  many  who  had  heretofore  espoused 
the  interests  of  the  colonies.  The  consequence  of  this  change 
of  sentiment  was  perceptible  by  a  change  of  measures  in  par- 
liament. A  bill  was  introduced  by  Mr.  Townsend,  the  chancel- 
lor of  the  exchequer,  imposing  a  duty  on  all  tea,  glass,  paper, 
and  painters'  colours.  It  passed  both  houses  without  much  op- 
position, and  was  the  next  year  sent  to  the  colonies. 

(1767.)  The  act  for  imposing  the  new  taxes  was  received  with 
greater  aversion  than  the  stamp  act  itself  Letters  were  sent 
from  Massachusetts  to  all  the  other  colonies,  inveighing  against 
the  injustice  and  tyranny  of  the  British  legislature.  Circulars 
were  sent  to  most  of  the  colonial  assemblies,  suggesting  the 
expediency  of  acting  in  concert  in  all  endeavours  to  obtain 
redress.  These  proceedings  incensed  and  alarmed  the  ministry. 
They  feared  that  a  union  of  the  colonies  would  give  them 
strength  and  confidence  ;  and  determined  if  possible  to  prevent 
it.  They  instructed  Sir  John  Bernard,  then  governor  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, to  require  the  General  Court  to  rescind  the  vote 
directing  the  circular  to  be  sent;  and  in  case  of  refusal,  to 
dissolve  it.  The  governor  communicated  these  instructions  to 
the  house  of  Representatives ;  which,  by  a  vote  of  ninety-two  to 
seventeen,  refused  to  rescind,  and  was  accordingly  dissolved. 

This  measure,  like  all  the  others  which  the  British  govern- 
ment at  this  period  pursued,  with  the  intention  of  intimidating 
the  colonies,  did  but  exasperate  and  arouse  them.     Frequent 


(» 


;■■ 


in 


224 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


i    ' 


meetings  of  the  people  were  held  at  Boston,  and  the  different 
provinces ;  a  petition  was  made  to  the  governor,  in  which  he 
was  desired  to  remove  the  ships  of  war  from  the  neighbourhood 
of  the  town ;  a  request  with  which  he  was  neither  able  nor 
willing  to  comply. 

•  At  the  opening  of  the  year  17G8,  everything  appeared  to 
indicate  a  rupture  between  the  colonies  and  the  parent  state. 
The  agent  of  the  province  was  refused  admission  to  the  presence 
of  the  king.  A  report  was  circulated  that  the  troops  had  been 
ordered  to  march  into  Boston,  a  dreadful  alarm  took  pliue,  and 
all  ranks  of  men  joined  in  beseeching  the  governor  tliat  a 
general  assembly  might  be  convoked.  The  answer  of  Governor 
Bernard  was,  that  by  his  last  instructions  from  England,  he  was 
prevented  from  complying  with  this  wish  of  the  people. 

On  this  refusal,  the  selectmen  of  Boston  proposed  to  the 
several  towns  in  the  colony  to  hold  a  convention,  which  was 
accordingly  holden  in  that  town  on  the  2 2d  of  September.  In 
this  convention  it  was  resolved  that  they  would  defend  their 
violated  rights  at  the  peril  of  their  lives  and  fortunes,  and  that 
the  people  who  had  no  arms,  should  furnish  themselves.  At 
the  same  time,  they  thought  it  proper  to  assure  the  government 
of  their  pacific  intentions,  and  requested  again  that  an  assembly 
might  be  called ;  but  after  transmitting  to  England  an  account 
of  their  proceedings,  and  the  reasons  which  had  induced  them 
to  assemble,  they  were  again  refused,  and  stigmatized  with  the 
appellation  of  rebels. 

The  refractory  spirit  of  the  people  of  Boston  had  been  so 
often  displayed,  that  General  Gage,  who  was  commander-in- 
chief  of  the  troops  in  the  colonies,  was  ordered  to  station  a 
regiment  in  that  town,  not  only  to  overawe  the  citizens,  but  to 
protect  the  officers  of  the  revenue  in  the  discharge  of  their 
duty.  Before  the  order  was  executed,  the  seizure  of  a  sloop 
belonging  to  Mr.  Hancock,  an  eminent  merchant,  and  a  popular 
leader,  occasioned  a  riot,  in  which  those  officers  were  insulted 
and  beaten. 

On  the  28  th  of  September,  two  regiments,  escorted  by  seven 
armed  vessels,  arrived  at  Boston  from  Halifax.  The  landing 
of  the  troops  was  protected  by  the  fleet,  which  was  drawn  up 
with  the  broadsides  of  the  vessels  opposite  the  town.     In  con- 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


226 


JORN    BAMOOOR, 


sequence  of  their  formidable  appearance,  thoy  inorwhed  ialo 
Boston  without  any  resistance  on  the  part  of  the  inhabitants. 
The  selectmen  of  the  town  having  rufuHcd  to  provide  them 
with  quarters,  the  governor  commanded  the  8tate  house  to  be 
opened  for  their  reception.  The  pruHOUco  of  the  soldiers  had 
great  influence  in  restraining  the  cxcohhch  of  the  population; 
but  the  hatred  of  the  colonies  towardn  England  was  much  in- 
creased by  this  highly  offensive  measure. 

Early  in  1769,  news  reached  the  colonies  that  both  houses 
of  parliament,  in  a  joint  address  to  \m  majesty,  had  recom- 
mended vigorous  measures  in  order  to  enforce  their  obedience ; 
and  had  even  gone  so  far  as  to  beseech  tlio  king  to  direct  the 
governor  of  Massachusetts  Bay  to  make  strict  inquiries  as  to  all 
treasons  committed  in  that  province  «inco  the  year  1767,  in 
order  that  the  persons  most  active  in  committing  them  might 
be  sent  to  England  for  trial.  Tliis  proposal  gave  great  offence 
to  the  colonists. 

The  Legislature  of  Massachusetts  was  not  in  session  when 
the  news  of  this  address  reached  America ;  but  the  house  of 
Burgesses  in  Virginia,  which  met  a  few  days  afterwards,  were 
not  tardy  in  expressing  their  sense  of  it.     They  passed  several 

t2 


220 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


I 


BpiritcJ  resolutions,  declaring  their  exclusive  right  to  tax  them- 
selves, and  denying  the  riglit  of  his  majesty  to  remove  an 
offender  out  of  the  colony  for  trial.  An  address  to  his  majesty 
was  also  agreed  on,  which  stated,  in  a  stylo  of  loyalty  and  renl 
attachment  to  the  crown,  the  deep  conviction  of  the  house  of 
Burgesses  of  Virginia,  that  the  complaints  of  the  colonists  were 
well  founded.  When  the  intelligence  of  these  pn)ooeding8 
reached  the  governor,  he  suddenly  dissolved  the  Asnenibly.  IJut 
the  current  of  opposition  was  too  strong  to  be  stayed.  The 
members  assembled  at  a  private  house,  elected  their  speaker, 
Peyton  Randolph,  Esq.,  moderator ;  and  proceeded  to  pass  re- 
solutions against  importing  British  goods.  Their  example  was 
followed  by  other  colonies ;  and  non-importation  agreements, 
which  had  before  been  entered  into  by  Boston,  Salem,  the  city 
of  New  York,  and  the  colony  of  Connecticut,  now  became 
general. 

On  the  5th  of  March,  1770,  an  affray  took  place  at  Boston 
between  the  military  and  some  of  the  inhabitants,  who  insulted 
them  while  under  arms,  in  which  four  persons  were  killed.  The 
bells  were  instantly  rung ;  the  people  rushed  from  the  country 
to  the  aid  of  the  citizens ;  and  the  soldiers  were  obliged  to  retire 
to  Castle  William,  in  order  to  avoid  the  fury  of  the  enraged 
multitude.  A  trial  was  instituted  :  the  soldiers  engaged  in  the 
affray  were  all  acquitted,  except  two,  who  were  found  guilty 
of  manslaughter.  The  moderation  of  the  jury,  and  the  ability 
with  which  the  soldiers  were  defended  by  two  of  the  leading 
opposers  of  British  aggression,  John  Adams  and  Josiah  Quincy, 
were  honourable  to  the  individuals  and  to  their  country.  This 
event,  however,  increased  the  detestation  in  which  the  soldiers 
stationed  among  the  people  were  held. 

In  the  mean  time  the  parliament  of  Great  Britain  showed, 
that  it  had  neither  sufficient  vigour  to  compel  the  Americans 
to  submit,  nor  sufficient  liberality  to  yield  to  their  remon- 
strances. The  ministry  agreed  to  take  off  all  the  duties  which 
had  lately  been  imposed,  except  that  on  tea ;  but  it  was  pre- 
dicted by  the  opposition  that  their  indulgence  would  have  no 
good  effect,  while  any  duty  remained  which  was  imposed  upon 
the  Americans  without  their  consent.  What  was  predicted  by 
the  opposition,  was  in  the  end  found  to  be  true.    It  was  resolved 


;  liM 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


227 


DHHTItllUTKIN    (lir   TlUl  TKA. 


that  the  tea  should  not  bo  landed,  hut  went  hack  to  Europe  m 
the  same  vessels  that  had  hrouglit  it;  lor  it  was  obvious  to  all, 
that  it  would  be  extremely  dilllcult  to  liinder  the  sale,  if  th<  com- 
modity should  once  be  received  on  nhore.   The  pcojjle  assembled 
m  great  numbers  at  Boston,  and  forced  those  to  whom  it  had 
been  consigned  to  give  up  their  appointments,  and  to  swear 
that  they  would  abandon  them  for  ever.     Such  as  refused  to 
engage  in  this  opposition  wore  denounced  as  the  enemies  of 
their  country.     This  disposition  was  not  confined  to  Massa- 
chusetts alone;  but  the  same  spirit  appeared  in  all  the  colonies. 
Such  was  the  situation  of  adairs,  when  three  ships  laden  with 
tea  arrived  at  the  port  of  Boston.      The  captains   of  these 
vessels,  alarmed  at  the  menaceis  of  tiie  people,  offered  to  return 
with  their  cargoes  to  England,  provided  tliey  could  obtain  the 
necessary  discharges  from  the  merchants,  to  whom  the  teas  had 
been  consigned ;  and  likewise  from  the  governor,  and  the  officers 
of  the  cusiom-house.     But  though  afraid   to  issue  orders  for 
landing  the  tea,  the  merchants   and   officers,  in  conjunction 
with  the  governor,  refused  to  grant   the  discharges,  and  the 
ships  were  obliged  to  remain  in  the  harbour.     The  people, 


'ii'li 


MiiM^MhiHi 


228 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


li 


jl!! 


however,  apprehensive  that  the  obnoxious  commodity  would 
be  landed  in  small  quantities,  if  the  vessels  should  continue  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  the  town,  resolved  to  destroy  it  at  once. 
For  this  purpose,  several  persons  disguised  thomBclvcs  as  In- 
dians, boarded  the  ships  during  the  night,  and  threw  their 
cargoes  into  the  water,  without  making  any  further  disturbance. 
No  fewer  than  142  chests  were  thus  broken  open,  and  their 
contents  emptied  into  the  sea. 

At  Philadelphia,  the  pilots  were  enjoined  not  to  conduct  the 
ships  into  the  river :  and  at  New  York,  though  the  governor 
ordered  some  of  the  tea  to  be  landed  under  the  protection  of  a 
man-of-war,  he  was  obliged  to  deliver  it  into  the  cuntody  of  the 
people,  who  took  care  that  none  of  it  should  bo  Hidd. 

The  parliament  of  England  resolved  not  to  change  their 
measures,  but  to  punish  the  inhabitants  of  Boston  in  a  exem- 
plary manner,  by  imposing  a  fine  upon  them,  equal  to  the  value 
of  the  tea  which  had  been  destroyed.  The  port  of  Boston  was 
shut  by  an  amed  force  until  this  should  be  accomplished,  and 
their  refractory  spirit  subdued. 

An  act  was  also  passed,  giving  to  the  crown  the  appointment 
of  counsellors ;  whereas,  it  had  resided  with  the  court.  The 
custom-house  was  to  be  removed  to  Salem ;  and  General  Gage 
was  made  governor  in  the  place  of  Hutchinson. 

Gage  removed  the  Assembly  from  Boston,  in  Massachusetts, 
to  Salem.  Having  met  at  that  place,  they  declared  it  necessary 
that  a  congress  of  delegates  from  all  the  provinces  should  as- 
semble, to  take  the  affairs  of  the  colonies  into  their  most  serious 
consideration.  And  they  nominated  James  Bowdoin,  Thomas 
Gushing,  Samuel  Adams,  John  Adams,  Robert  Treat  Paine, 
men  celebrated  for  their  talents  and  opposition  to  England,  as 
the  representives  to  such  a  congress,  from  Massachusetts.  They 
recommended  to  the  whole  province  to  abandon  the  use  of  tea ; 
and  urged  the  necessity  of  giving  all  the  encouragement  in  their 
power  to  the  manufactures  of  America. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  governor  having  learned  their  pro- 
ceedings, sent  an  officer  to  dissolve  the  assembly  in  the  king's 
name ;  but  he  finding  the  door  shut  and  entrance  denied  him, 
was  compelled  to  read  the  order  of  dissolution  aloud  on  the 
staircase. 


TIIK    UEVOLUTION. 


229 


RAMVRb  At>AH8. 


The  inhabitants  of  Salom,  which  had  now  become  the  inotro- 
poUs  of  the  country,  appear  to  have  adopted  the  same  npirit 
with  those  of  Boston.  They  published  a  declaration  in  favour 
of  the  latter ;  in  which  they  asserted,  that  nature,  in  forming 
their  harbour,  had  prevented  their  becoming  rivals  in  trade ; 
and  that  even  if  that  were  otherwise,  they  would  regard  them-- 
selves  lost  to  every  idea  of  justice  and  all  feelings  of  humanity, 
could  they  indulge  one  thought  of  seizing  upon  the  wealth  of 
their  neighbours,  or  raising  their  fortunes  upon  the  ruins  of 
their  countrymen. 

The  cause  of  Boston  was  espoused  by  the  rest  of  the  colonies. 
The  1st  of  June,  the  day  on  which  the  city  was  to  be  blockaded 
by  the  king's  ships,  wos  observed  in  Virginia  as  a  day  of  fasting 
and  humiliation;  and  a  public  intercession  in  behalf  of  the 
American  people,  was  enjoined  throughout  the  province.  The 
style  of  prayer  was,  "Tliat  God  would  give  them  one  heart  and 
mind,  firmly  to  oppose  every  invasion  of  American  rights." 
Virginia  united  with  Massachusetts  in  recommending  a  General 
Congress.  They  declared  if  any  one  of  the  colonies  was  taxed 
without  its  consent,  the  rights  of  the  whole  were  violated ;  and 
that  in  the  present  case,  they  regarded  the  injury  done  to  the 
inhabitants  of  Boston  as  done  to  themselves. 
29 


; 


l^': 


i'  m 


I 


.1,   r. 

Mil 


1 1 


2;io 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


The  proposal  for  a  General  Congress  had  now  been  discussed, 
and  was  approved,  and  eleven  of  tlie  colonies  had  elected  their 
delegates.  Georgia  had  not  determined  to  unite  her  fate  with 
that  of  New  England ;  and  North  Curolliui  was  later  than  the 
others  in  acceding  to  the  measure. 

At  length,  on  the  4th  of  September,  1774,  the  first  Congress 
of  the  American  States  assembled  at  Piiihideli)hia.  This  was 
the  most  important  deliberative  body  which  had  ever  met  in 
America.  Peyton  Randolph,  Esq.,  of  Virginia,  was  chosen  pre- 
sident by  the  unanimous  suffrage  of  the  dele<i;ates.  To  this 
august  body  of  citizens,  who  were  mot  for  the  highest  purposes 
which  can  affect  the  temporal  interests  of  men,  the  eyes  of  the 
people  of  America  were  turned  with  nnxious  concern.  The 
officers  and  dependants  of  the  crown  looked  also  to  their 
measures  with  the  deepest  interest,  and,  alarmed  at  the  calm 
determined  spirit  which  they  manifested,  dreaded  the  conse- 
quences of  their  deliberations. 

These  delegates,  having  resolved  that  each  colony  should 
have  only  one  vote,  and  that  their  deliberations  should  take 
place  without  the  admission  of  strangers,  proceeded  to  the 
high  duty  which  their  countrymen  had  imposed  on  them. 

They  first  expressed  their  approbation  of  what  had  been 
done  by  the  inhabitants  of  Massachusetts  Bay;  warmly  ex- 
horted them  to  perseverance  in  the  cause  of  freedom;  and 
voted  that  contributions  should  bo  made  for  them  in  all  the 
provinces,  and  continued  so  long,  and  in  such  a  manner,  as  their 
circumstances  might  require. 

They  next  addressed  a  letter  to  General  Gage,  in  which  they 
informed  him  of  their  unalterable  resolution  to  oppose  every 
attempt  to  carry  the  British  acts  of  parliament  into  effect ;  and 
entreated  him  to  desist  from  military  operations,  lest  a  dif- 
ference, altogether  irreconcileable,  should  take  place  between 
the  colonies  and  parent  state.  The  next  step  was  a  declara- 
tion of  their  rights,  addressed  to  the  people  in  the  shape  of 
resolutions.  This  instrument  is  commonly  quoted  by  the  title 
of  the  bill  of  rights. 

A  committee  was  next  appointed,  who  drew  a  pcitition  to 
the  king,  stating  the  grievances  under  which  they  had  laboured ; 
— grievances,  which  they  said  were  the  more  intolerable,  as  the 


THE   REVOLUTION. 


231 


colonies  were  born  the  heirs  of  freedom,  and  had  long  enjoyed 
it  under  the  auspices  of  former  sovereigns ;  and  stating  also, 
that  they  had  wished  for  no  diminution  of  the  prerogative,  and 
no  privileges  or  immunities,  except  those  which  were  their 
rightful  inheritance  as  the  subjects  of  Great  Britain  ;-^on- 
cluding  the  whole  with  an  earnest  prayer,  that  his  majesty,  as 
the  father  of  his  people,  would  not  permit  the  ties  of  blood,  of 
law,  and  of  loyalty  to  be  broken,  in  expectation  of  consequences, 
which,  if  they  ever  took  place,  would  never  compensate  for  the 
suffering  to  which  they  must  give  rise. 

The  committee  who  brought  in  this  address,  were  Mr.  Lee, 
Mr.  John  Adams,  Mr.  Johnston,  Mr.  Henry,  and  Mr.  Rutledge. 
The  original  composition  has  been  generally  artributed  to  Mr. 
Lee. 

The  petition  to  the  king  was  followed  by  an  address  to  the 
peoi^le  of  England,  conceived  with  great  vigour,  and  expressed 
in  the  most  energic  language. 

This  address  was  followed  by  a  memorial  to  their  consti- 
tuents. They  applauded  them  for  the  spirit  which  they  had 
shown  in  defence  of  their  rights ;  enjoined  them  to  pei'severe  in 
abstaining  from  the  use  of  everything  manufactured  or  prepared 
in  England ;  and  hinted  at  the  necessity  of  looking  forward  to 
melancholy  events,  and  being  ready  for  any  contingency  that 
might  take  place. 

The  inclinations  of  the  people  were  in  exact  accordance  with 
the  decision  of  the  Congress.  The  inhabitants  of  Boston  were 
supplied  by  contributions  from  all  quarters.  Even  those,  who 
by  their  station  seemed  likely  to  derive  advantage  from  the  ces- 
sation of  their  trade,  were  most  forward  to  relieve  them  in  their 
distress.  The  people  of  Marblehead,  a  town  at  no  great  distance, 
generously  offered  them  the  use  of  their  harbour,  their  wharfs, 
and  warehouses,  free  of  all  expense.  Every  one  who  could 
procure  arms  was  diligent  in  learning  their  use. 

Complete  unanimity,  however,  did  not  exist.  Some  of  the 
late  emigrants,  on  whom  England  had  bestowed  offices,  and 
many  who  feared  her  power,  clung  to  her  authority,  and  de- 
clared themselves  her  adherents.  Whigs  and  Tories  were  the 
distinguishing  names  of  the  parties.  The  former  Itivoured  the 
cause  of  the  colonists ;  the  latter  that  of  Great  Britain. 


! 


I 

liilll 

I 

li<l 


232 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


Ill  the  mean  time,  many  British  troops  having  assembled  at 
Boston,  General  Gage  thought  it  prudent  to  fortify  the  neck  of 
land  that  joins  that  city  to  the  continent.  He  also  seized  the 
magazines  of  gunpowder,  ammunition,  and  military  st^.»res  at 
Cambridge  and  Charlestown. 

An  Assembly  was  called,  and  its  sitting  immediately  coun- 
termanded; but  the  representatives  met  at  Salem,  notwith- 
standing the  proclamation  of  the  governor;  and  after  waiting 
a  day  for  his  arrival,  they  voted  themselves  "a  Pnmncial 
Congress,"  and  adjourned  to  Concord.  Mr.  Hancock  was  chosen 
president ;  and  the  delegates  resolved,  that  for  the  defence  of 
the  province,  a  military  force,  to  consist  of  one-fourth  of  the 
militia,  should  be  organized,  and  stand  ready  to  march  at  a 
minute's  warning ;  a,nd  that  money  should  be  raised  to  purchase 
military  stores.  They  appointed  a  committee  of  safety  to  sit 
during  the  recess. 

The  more  southern  provinces,  particularly  Pennsylvania, 
Virginia,  and  Maryland,  displayed  the  same  determination  to 
resist,  and  passed  resolutions  designed  to  animate  those  who,  in 
Massachusetts,  stood  in  the  post  of  danger. 

General  Gage  had  hitherto,  probably  under  instructions  from 
home,  avoided  every  movement  which  could  bring  on  a  collision, 
and  lead  to  a  commencement  of  actual  war.  Yet,  remaining 
almost  besieged  at  Boston,  he  began  to  experience  scarcity  of 
provisions ;  and  an  impression  was  felt,  that  something  must 
be  done  to  check  these  extensive  preparations,  and  seize  the 
military  stores  now  collected  all  over  the  country.  He  formed 
the  injudicious  plan  of  sending  out  secretly  small  detachments 
to  capture  them  by  surprise.  Even  if  successful,  which  was 
not  very  probable,  the  adoption  of  such  a  scheme  must  have 
lowered  the  impression  of  British  power.  If  the  troops  were  to 
march  into  the  country,  it  should  have  been  in  such  large 
bodies  as  would  overpower,  and  even  deter  resistance.  A  small 
party  sent  towards  Salem  were  induced  to  return,  owing  to  the 
mere  obstacles  raised  by  the  country  people  against  their 
march. 

The  governor,  h.iving  learned  that  a  considerable  magazine 
of  stores  had  been  formed  at  Concord,  determined  on  an  attempt 
to  seize  them.     He  employed  a  larger  force,  but  trusted  still  to 


sup 

gal 

anc 

mus 

lish 

relu 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


233 


BATTLE   OP   LEXINGTON. 


secrecy  and  surprise.  On  the  night  of  the  19th  of  April,  1775, 
Colonel  Smith  began  his  march,  seeking  to  conceal  it  by  sending 
forward  some  horsemen  to  arrest  all  travellers  on  the  road. 
Dr.  Warren,  from  Boston,  however,  having  contrived  to  trans- 
mit previous  notice,  they  had  not  advanced  far  when  the  firing 
of  guns  and  the  ringing  of  bells  were  heard,  summoning  the 
people  to  arms.  They  pushed  forward  nearly  fifteen  miles,  and 
at  five  in  the  morning  reached  Lexington,  where  about  a  hun- 
dred militia  were  exercising  on  a  green.  The  events  which 
followed,  and  form  the  fatal  crisis  of  this  great  contest,  are  in- 
volved in  a  cloud  of  controversy  which  will  never  perhaps  be  fully 
cleared  away.  According  to  the  statement  of  the  Americans, 
supported  even  by  affidavits.  Major  Pitcairn,  who  led  the  van, 
galloped  up,  calling,  "  Disperse,  rebels !  throw  down  your  arms 
and  disperse."  The  soldiers  than  ran  up,  huzzaing;  some 
muskets  were  fired,  followed  by  a  general  discharge.  The  Eng- 
lish asserted  that  the  summons  to  disperse  was  slowly  and 
reluctantly  obeyed,  and  that,  mean  time,  some  shots  were  fired 
from  behind  walls,  which  being  returned,  the  contest  so(^n 
became  general. 

U 


i 


I'V. 

m 
ill 


m 


III 


m 


!;r 


234 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


RETREAT   FROM  CONCORD. 


The  troops,  who  drove  the  militia  before  them,  proceeding 
about  four  miles  farther,  arrived  at  Concord ;  and  while  the 
main  body  were  destroying  the  stores,  a  detachment  Avas  sent 
forward  to  occupy  two  bridges  beyond.  It  was  surrounded  by 
the  colonists  in  great  numbers,  and  in  a  threatening  attitude ; 
a  firing  was  commenced,  but  returned  with  such  vigour,  that 
the  party  were  obliged  to  fall  back  ui)on  the  main  body.  The 
whole  then  began  a  retrograde  movement  to  Boston ;  but  the 
Americans,  in  increasing  numbers,  attacked  them  incessantly 
on  their  rear  and  flanks,  firing  from  houses,  trees,  and  behind 
walls.  The  British,  accordingly,  when  they  arrived  at  Lexing- 
ton, found  themselves  in  a  most  exhausted  state;  and  it  is 
alleged,  that  they  would  have  been  totally  destroyed,  but  for  a 
timely  succour.  General  Gage  had  sent  forward  Lord  Percy 
with  sixteen  companies  and  two  pieces  of  cannon,  who  drove 
back  the  provincials,  and  forming  a  square,  protected  their 
countrymen  while  they  lay  down  to  recruit  their  strength.  All 
together  then  proceeded  to  Boston ;  while  the  assailants,  with- 
out attempting  to  obstruct  their  march,  kept  up  an  incessant 
fire,  both  in  front  and  rear,  from  behind  stone  fences,  which 
are  there  very  numerous.  On  their  arrival,  they  found  that 
they  had  lost  sixty-five  killed,  one  hundred  and  eighty  wounded, 
and  twenty-seven  missing ;  while  the  Americans,  wlio  fought 


THE   REVOLUTION 


235 


mostly  from  under  cover,  acknowledged  only  fifty  killed  and 
thirty-eight  wounded. 

The  intelligence  of  this  event  excited  the  utmost  enthusiasm 
throughout  Massachusetts,  and  the  whole  country  was  soon 
arrayed  in  a  warlike  form.  The  people  were  studiously  assured 
that  a  wanton  attack  had  been  made ;  while  the  degree  of  suc- 
cess gained  by  their  undisciplined  force  against  regular  troops, 
inspired  the  most  sanguine  hopes  and  military  ardour.  The 
provincial  Congress  immediately  passed  a  vote  for  raising  thir- 
teen thousand  six  hundred  men,  and  called  upon  the  other 
New  England  colonies  for  their  respective  quotas,  making  in 
all  thirty  thousand.  Measures  were  also  taken  to  obtain  a  loan 
of  £100,000.  The  provincials  crowded  to  the  standard  in 
numbers  greater  than  could  be  maintained  in  the  field :  and 
the  levies  were  placed  under  the  command  of  Ward  and  other 
officers,  who  had  acquired  experience  in  the  last  war,  and  were 
now  raised  from  the  rank  of  colonel  to  that  of  general.  The 
fortifications  of  Boston  were  considered  sufficiently  strong  to 
preclude  the  hazard  of  any  attack;  but  a  line  of  thirty  miles 
was  formed  around  the  peninsula,  entirely  cutting  off  its  con- 
nexion with  the  surrounding  country. 

Meantime,  an  adventurous  scheme  was  formed  by  two 
determined  leaders,  the  colonels  Arnold  and  Allen.  Having 
collected  a  small  body  of  troops  in  Connecticut,  they  proceeded 
against 'the  strong  fortresses  of  Crown  Point  and  Ticonderoga, 
— the  keys  of  Canada.  Traversing  undiscovered  the  immense 
tracts,  then  almost  desert,  that  lay  to  the  north  of  New  F  ig- 
land,  they  completely  surprised  and  captured,  without  .t^sist- 
ance,  both  these  important  places,  each  containing  a  valuable 
supply  of  military  stores.  Arnold  was  equally  successful  against 
a  sloop  of  war  lying  at  St.  John's,  and  thus  obtained  the  com- 
mand of  Lake  Champlain. 

Meantime  Congress,  having  met  on  the  10th  of  May,  received 
a  report  of  these  transactions,  which  called  for  their  most 
earnest  consideration.  Some  it  is  said  were  unprepared  for  so 
Berious  a  result ;  but  the  general  resolution  was  to  follow  it  up, 
and  place  all  the  colonies  in  a  posture  of  military  defence.  Still, 
before  adopting  any  active  measures,  they  determined,  though 
with  some  dissentient  voices,  to  make  fresh  appeals  to  the  king 


11 


1 


I  .  rl 


■■It 


\-  {i 


\-u 


236 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


li      I 


and  people  of  Great  Britain.     To  his  majesty  they  professed  as 
strongly  as   ever  their  devotion  to  his  person,  family,  and 
government;    their  deep  regret  at   any  event  which   could 
weaken  their  connexion  with  his  crown,  and  their  ardent  desire 
for  the  restoration  of  harmony.   To  the  people  they  strenuously 
repelled  the  charge  of  aiming  at  independence,  which  none  of 
their  actions  were  said  to  justify.     They  had  never  made  over- 
tures to  any  foreign  power,  nor  availed  themselves  of  the  weak 
state  of  the  cities,  to  become  masters  of  them.   The  late  hostili- 
ties had  been  merely  the  repulse  of  a  wanton  attack  ;  they  had 
lamented  the  wounds  they  were  obliged  to  give,  and  had  not 
yet  learned  to  rejoice  at  a  victory  over   Englishmen.      The 
armies  were  said  to  be  raised  with  objects  purely  defensive,  and 
the  fortresses  seized  merely  as  a  preventive  against  invasion 
from  Canada.    Complaining,  however,  that  the  clemency  of 
their  sovereign  was  diverted,  that  their  petitions  were  treated 
with  indignity,  and  that  their  prayers  were  answered  by  insults, 
they  dreaded  that  the  nation  wanted  either  the  will  or  the 
power  to  assist  them.     In  that   case,  they  expressed  a  firm 
determination  that,  "while  we  revere  the  memory  of  our  gallant 
and  virtuous  ancestors,  we  never  can  surrender  those  glorious 
privileges,  for  which  they  fought,  bled,  and  conquered ; — ^your 
fleets  and  armies  can  destroy  our  towns  and  ravage  our  coasts ; 
these  are  inconsiderable  objects, — things  of  no  moment  to  men 
whose  bosoms  glow  with  the  ardour  of  liberty.     We  can  retire 
beyond  the   reach  of  your  navy,  and,  without  any  sensible 
diminution  of  the  necessaries  of  life,  enjoy  a  luxury,  which  from 
that  period  you  will  want, — the  luxury  of  being  free." 

Having  emitted  these  declarations.  Congress  proceeded  to 
make  military  arrangements  which  should  comprehend  jthe 
whole  range  of  the  colonies.  All  the  troops  within  their  limits 
were  to  be  now  called  the  Continental  Army ;  committees  were 
appointed  to  devise  ways  and  means  for  supporting  and  sup- 
plying it  with  arms  and  stores,  and  preparing  regulations  for 
its  government.  An  issue  of  paper-money  was  voted  to  the 
amount  of  three  millions  of  dollars.  The  first  object  was  con- 
sidered to  be  the  choice  of  a  commander,  and  in  this  respect 
they  were  singularly  fortunate.  There  had  at  this  time  sprung 
up  among  them  an  uncommon  number  of  men  of  distinguished 


A 

md 

D3 

bri 

or 


■|i 

Jmi 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


237 


abilities ;  but  it  was  generally  agreed  that  the  fittest  person 
was  George  Washington.  Next  day  the  choice  was  announced 
to  him,  when,  in  a  plain,  modest  reply,  he  expressed  his  high 
sense  of  the  honour,  not  concealing  the  pain  which  arose  from 
a  consciousness  that  his  abilities  and  military  experience  might 
not  be  equal  to  so  mighty  a  trust.  Yet  he  assured  them,  he 
would  enter  on  the  momentous  duty,  and  exert  every  power 
he  possessed  in  so  great  a  cause.  Five  hundred  dollars  monthly 
had  been  voted  for  his  pay  and  expenses ;  but  being  possessed 
of  an  ample  fortune,  he  declined  anything  beyond  the  reim- 
bursement of  his  actual  outlay. 

It  was  at  this  crisis — certainly  not  auspicious — that  Lord 
North's  conciliatory  propositions  arrived.  The  propositions, 
being  communicated  to  Congress  on  the  30th  of  May,  were 
ordered  to  lie  on  the  table ;  and  notwithstanding  the  dissatis- 
faction excited,  were  afterwards  referred  to  a  committee,  com- 
posed of  Franklin,  Jeflferson,  Adams,  and  Lee ;  whose  report, 
decidedly  unfavourable,  was  adopted  on  the  31st  of  July. 

Before  Washington  had  reached  New  England,  the  tragic 
character  of  the  great  drama  had  been  more  fully  developed. 
On  the  25th  of  May,  large  reinforcements  arrived  from  Eng- 
land, commanded  by  Generals  Howe,  Burgoyne,  and  Clinton, 
officers  of  high  reputation,  and  chosen  seemingly  without  any 
favour  or  political  bias.  General  Gage,  before  commencing 
active  operations,  issued  a  proclamation  calling  upon  the  people 
to  lay  down  their  arms,  and  offering  a  free  pardon  to  all,  ex- 
cepting Adams  and  Hancock.  Far,  however,  from  thinking  to 
take  advantage  of  this  offer,  they  were  busily  planning  the 
most  active  operations.  A  channel  divides  the  peninsula  of 
Boston  from  that  of  Charlestown,  on  which  last  rises  Bunker's 
Hill,  the  fire  from  which  in  some  degree  commands  the  capital. 
On  the  evening  of  the  16th  of  June,  General  Prescot,  with  one 
thousand  men,  having  crossed  unperceived  the  isthmus  or  neck, 
took  possession  of  that  eminence ;  and  such  activity  did  the 
Americans  employ  during  the  night  in  intrenching  it,  that  by 
morning  they  had  completed  a  redoubt  and  breastwork,  flanked 
by  a  small  river,  and  forming  a  very  strong  position.  At  day- 
break they  were  discovered,  and  a  cannonade  immediately 
opened  from  the  ships,  but  without  producing  much  effect,  or 
80  u2 


i 

i 


i'k 


:^lHi!! 


238 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


even  interrupting  the  prosecution  of  the  works.  Gage,  con- 
sidering it  extremely  inexpedient  that  they  should  be  allowed 
to  retain  this  position,  immediately  prepared  a  strong  de- 
tachment to  expel  them.  It  was  not  ready  till  noon,  when 
General  Howe,  being  appointed  to  command,  sailed  across,  but 
found  the  adverse  party  so  strongly  posted,  that  it  appeared 
necessary  to  wait  for  a  reinforcement ;  the  Americans  at  the 
same  time  receiving  .one  under  Dr.  Warren.  Either  from 
accident,  or  to  secure  the  English  position,  the  village  of 
Charlestown  was  burned.  Howe  at  length  began  to  ascend  the 
hill,  while,  from  the  heights  around  Boston,  numerous  specta- 
tors, agitated  by  intense  and  opposite  emotions,  witnessed  the 
eventful  scene.  The  provincials  reserved  their  fire  till  the  ad- 
vancing party  was  within  sixty  or  seventy  yards,  when  they 
commenced  a  sudden  and  general  discharge  of  musketry  and 
rifles,  which  tliey  used  with  peculiar  skill.  So  deadly  was  the 
effect,  that  the  British  troops  fell  back  in  confusion ;  they  were 
rallied,  but  a  second  time  repulsed ;  and  General  Howe  is  said 
to  have  been  left  at  one  time  almost  alone,  having  every  officer 
around  him  either  killed  or  wounded.  To  have  suflered  a  final 
repulse,  however,  would  have  been  most  disastrous.  Clinton, 
seeing  the  exigency,  hastened  across  with  a  fresh  detachment ; 
when  the  British,  being  led  afresh  to  the  charge,  rushed  upon 
the  intrenchment,  and  carried  it  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet, 
after  a  fierce  struggle,  the  ammunition  of  the  Americans  being 
exhausted.  The  Americans  slowly  retreated,  with  little  mo- 
lestation except  from  a  straggling  fire  by  the  vessels.  The 
loss  on  the  part  of  the  English  was  most  severe,  being  stated 
officially  at  two  hundred  and  twenty-six  killed,  and  eight  hun- 
dred and  twenty-eight  wounded.  The  other  party  reported 
only  one  hundred  and  forty-five  slain,  with  three  hundred  and 
four  wounded ;  and  though  they  had  lost  the  field,  almost  all  the 
glory  and  advantage  was  felt  to  be  on  their  side.  The  vigorous 
stand  made  by  their  raw  levies,  and  the  severe  loss  inflicted 
on  veteran  troops,  elevated  their  courage ;  while  it  appalled  not 
a  little  the  power  which  had  undertaken  to  bring  them  into 
subjection. 

The  death  of  the  gallant  Warren,  who  was  killed  while 
striving  to  cover  the  retreat  of  the  provincials,  was  a  severe 


(239) 


U' 


TIIK   REVOLUTION. 


241 


aiNRRAr  JoiHPn  wAnnew. 


loss  to  the  patriots.  His  groat  zeal  and  splendid  abilities  had 
raised  him  very  high  in  the  general  estimation. 

Though  the  centre  of  the  movement  was  in  New  England, 
it  extended  to  other  colonies.  In  Virginia,  Lord  Dunmore, 
the  royal  governor,  was  compelled  to  retire  from  the  colony. 
In  North  Carolina,  Governor  Martin  was  involved  in  similar 
controversies  with  the  provincial  convention,  which  also  led  to 
his  retirement  on  board  a  ship  of  war.  Lord  "William  Campbell, 
governor  of  South  Carolina,  was  equally  obliged  to  seek  security 
on  ship-board,  and  joined  Martin  in  the  vicinity  of  Cape  Fear. 
Governor  Tryon,  also,  at  New  York,  betook  himself  to  a  similar 
refuge,  but  still  retained  command  of  the  harbour,  and  preserved 
an  intercourse  with  the  numerous  loyalists  in  that  quarter. 
Governors  Eden  and  Franklin,  in  Maryland  and  New  Jersey, 
contrived  to  maintain  their  place,  but  not  to  exercise  any  juris- 
diction. 

The  colonists  had  thus  experienced  an  almost  uninterrupted 


fci. 


IE 


f 


242 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


I 


Mill 


<   11! 


lilllli 


8IE0E  or  BOSTOir. 


career  of  success,  and,  with  the  exception  of  Boston,  England 
had  not  a  spot  left  in  the  whole  range  of  their  territory.  Yet 
reflecting  men  easily  saw,  that  they  had  prevailed  only  against 
an  advanced  guard  and  scattered  detachmonts,  and  that  the 
struggle  had  not  yet  commenced  with  the  main  force  of  the 
British  empire.  Washington,  meantime,  on  proceeding  to  the 
army,  was  received  in  the  most  cordial  manner,  and  without 
the  smallest  symptom  of  jealousy;  the  provincial  Congress 
sending  a  committee  to  meet  him  at  Springfield  on  the  frontier, 
and  escort  him  to  Boston.  He  there  found  fourteen  thousand 
five  hundred  men,  uble-bodied,  zealous  in  the  cause,  and 
personally  courageous,  but  destitute  of  almost  every  clement  of 
military  organization.  A  great  proportion  wanted  bayonets, 
and  the  alarming  discovery  was  soon  made,  that  they  had  not 
above  nine  rounds  of  gunpowder.  There  were  no  tents,  and 
clothes  extremely  deficient ;  there  was  neither  commissary  nor 
quartermaster-general.  No  combination  existed  between  the 
troops  drawn  from  different  colonies ;  and  the  ofllcers,  mostly 
chosen  by  the  men,  could  exercise  scarcely  any  authority. 
These  evils  were  the  more  difficult  to  remedy,  as  the  army,  en- 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


243 


en- 


listed only  for  a  short  period,  would  disband  in  a  few  months, 
and  be  replaced  by  one  composed  of  raw  recruits.  In  these 
oircumstances,  he  anxiously  desired  to  make  an  attack  upon 
Boston,  and  dislodge  the  troops  before  the  largo  expected  rein- 
forcements should  arrive,  when  the  prospects  could  not  but 
become  gloomy.  Yet  a  council  of  officers  decided,  seemingly 
on  good  grounds,  that  such  an  attempt  could  have  no  chance 
of  success ;  and  he  was  obliged,  very  reluctantly,  to  await  the 
turn  which  events  might  take. 

The  intelligence  of  these  proceedings  excited  in  England  that 
spirit  which  former  examples  might  lead  us  to  expect.     The 
ministry  determined  upon  the  most  vigorous  measures  to  put 
down  a  movement  which  had  now  assumed  the  character  of 
open  insurrection.      The  nation  poured  in  addresses,  which 
appear  to  have  expressed  decided  assurances  of  public  support. 
Penn,  the  hereditary  governor  of  Pennsylvania,  came  over  with 
the  address  from  Congress  to  the  king,  and  endeavoured  to 
second  it,  declaring  his  positive  belief  that  the  sentiments  ex- 
pressed in  it  were  sincere.    It  was  rejected,  however,  as  coming 
from  an  illegal  body,  and  consisting  only  of  a  series  of  empty 
professions.     The  royal  speech  at  the  opening  of  parliament, 
on  the  26th  of  Octol)er,  1775,  lamented  that  a  desperate  faction, 
by  gross  misrepresentations,  had  inflamed  the  minds  of  the 
people,  overawed  the  well-affected,  and,  amid  protestations  of 
loyalty  and  attachment  to  the  parent  state,  openly  raised  the 
standard  of  rebellion.     It  was  added  that  these  persons  now 
obviously  aimed  at  total  independence,  and  hence  clemency,  as 
well  as  prudence,  called  for  decisive  exertions  speedily  to  put 
down  such  disorders ;  that  those  of  the  misled  multitude,  who 
should  repent  of  their  error,  would  experience  the  utmost  lenity, 
and  be  received  into  favour,  as  if  they  had  never  revolted  ;  and 
that  individuals  on  the  spot  would  be  invested  with  discre- 
tionary power  to  grant  immediate  pardon  and  indemnity  to  any 
province  or  colony  which  should  return  to  its  allegiance.   Oflers 
of  aid  had  been  received  from  several  foreign  powers;  and 
there  was  no  reason  to  apprehend  hostility  or  impediment  in 
any  quarter. 

The  determination  being  formed  to  employ  force,  the  requisite 
means  were  to  be  provided.    In  the  estimates,  the  namber  of 


244 


THE    RETOLUTION. 


seamen  was  fixed  at  twenty-eight  thausand,  of  land  forces  at 
fifty-five  thousand ;  but  the  difficulty  lay  in  making  up  this 
latter  number.  The  troops  at  Boston,  amounting  to  seven 
thousand  four  hundred,  were  manifestly  inadequate ;  while  in 
Britain  there  was  merely  the  small  peace  establishment  con- 
sidered necessary  for  the  security  of  the  country.  The  levying 
of  a  new  army  by  voluntary  enlistment  was  difficult  and 
tedious;  while  an  additional  time  would  be  required  for  its 
training.  In  this  exigency,  ministerH  saw  no  expedient  except 
that  of  having  recourse  to  several  German  princes,  who,  on 
former  occasions,  had  been  induced,  partly  by  alliance,  but 
more  by  pecuniary  motives,  to  hire  out  their  soldiers  for  tem- 
porary service.  In  the  beginning,  therefore,  of  1776,  treaties 
were  concluded  with  the  Landgrave  of  Ilesse-Cassel  for  twelve 
thousand  one  hundred  and  four  men,  the  Duke  of  Brunswick 
for  four  thousand  and  eighty-four,  the  Prince  of  Hesse  for  six 
hundred  and  sixty-eight,  and  the  Prince  of  Waldeck  for  six 
hundred  and  seventy ;  in  all,  seventeen  thousand  five  hundred 
and  twenty-six.  These  rulers,  keeping  in  view  the  extreme 
necessity  of  the  British  government,  extorted  very  advantageous 
terms.  The  sum  of  £7.  4s.  4c/.,  was  to  be  paid  for  each  man ; 
and  besides  being  relieved  from  the  whole  burden  of  their  main- 
tenance, they  were  to  receive  compensation  for  all  extraordinary 
losses,  in  addition  to  certain  stipends,  amounting  in  all  to  about 
£135,000,  not  only  during  the  whole  period  of  their  engagement, 
but  considerably  longer.  Besides  this  heavy  charge,  the  em- 
ployment of  foreign  mercenaries,  subjects  of  despotic  princes, 
aggravated  much  the  odium  of  the  undertaking. 

We  must  now  return  across  the  Atlantic,  where  the  contest 
was  actively  carried  on.  In  the  autumn  of  1775,  the  Americans 
formed  a  plan  for  invading  Canada,  knowing  that  country  to  be 
very  slightly  defended,  and  believing  the  inhabitants  well 
affected  to  the  popular  cause.  A  force  of  about  three  thousand 
men,  levied  in  Connecticut,  was  placed  under  the  command, 
first  of  Schuyler,  and  then  of  Montgomery.  The  latter  officer, 
proceeding  along  Lake  Champlain,  speedily  reduced  Fort 
Chambly,  and  after  considerable  difficulty,  obliged  that  of  St. 
John  also  to  surrender.  Colonel  Ethan  Allen  had  already 
attempted  Montreal,  but  was  defeated   and  taken  prisoner. 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


245 


GENERAL  UONTGOUERY. 


Montgomery,  however,  with  his  whole  force,  marched  upon  that 
city,  and  compelled  Carleton  to  retreat  precipitately  upon 
Quebec.  Meantime  Arnold,  a  daring  officer,  had,  at  his  own 
request,  been  despatched,  with  eleven  hundred  men,  to  penetrate 
to  that  capital  by  way  of  the  Kennebec  and  the  Chaudiere, 
hoping  thus  to  take  it  by  surprise.  The  route  was  then  nearly 
desert,  intersected  by  dense  forests  and  swamps.  The  troops 
were  compelled  to  endure  the  greatest  hardships,  and  one  por- 
tion of  the  army,  under  Colonel  Enos,  returned  to  Massachu- 
setts. Arnold  pressed  on,  and  when  his  men  were  on  the  point 
of  starvation,  reached  Canada,  to  the  utter  astonishment  of  the 
people  of  that  province.  On  the  9th  of  November,  he  arrived 
at  Point  Levi,  opposite  Quebec.  But  want  of  conveyance  de- 
tained him  there  several  days,  during  which  the  active  exertions 
of  Colonel  McLean  placed  the  town  in  such  a  state  of  defence, 
that  the  American  chief  was  obliged  to  await  the  arrival  of 
Montgomery.  This  officer,  who  took  the  command  on  the  Ist 
31  '     X 


:    !! 


i  i 


246 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


of  December,  soon  saw  that  a  regular  siege,  amid  the  rigours 
of  a  Canadian  winter,  would  involve  such  sufferings  and  priva- 
tions as  his  raw  levies  could  scarcely  endure.  He,  therefore, 
determined  on  a  night  assault,  which  was  made  with  the 
gi'eatest  intrepidity,  but  completely  baffled.  His  troops  were 
repulsed  at  every  point,  and  he  himself  fell,  deeply  and  generally 
lamented.  Arnold,  wounded  in  the  assault,  retreated  up  the 
river;  and,  though  he  stood,  his  ground  some  time,  was 
ultimately  obliged  to  evacuate  Canada.  This  first  reverse 
sustained  by  the  cause  was  severe,  yet  the  signal  displays  of 
gallantry  on  the  part  of  the  provincial  officers  prevented  its 
influence  from  being  on  the  whole  very  depressing. 

Washington,  meantime,  laboured  under  accumulated  difficul- 
ties in  prosecuting  the  blockade  of  Boston.  The  scarcity  of 
ammunition,  notwithstanding  every  effort  of  Congress,  con- 
tinued almost  unabated ;  while  the  want  of  money,  as  well  as 
of  necessary  equipments,  was  deeply  felt  on  the  advance  of  the 
rigorous  season. 

Meantime,  General  Gage  remained  inactive  at  Boston;  a 
course  generally  condemned  by  historians  as  at  once  unaccount- 
able and  shameful.  In  the  beginning  of  October  he  was 
recalled,  without  any  expression  of  displeasure,  yet  probably 
under  the  impression  of  the  disasters  which  the  cause  had  sus- 
tained in  his  hands,  and  the  hope  that  it  might  be  more  for- 
tunate in  those  of  another.  The  command  then  devolved  upon 
Howe,  who  concurred  with  his  predecessor  as  to  the  inex- 
pediency of  advancing  into  the  interior  of  New  England.  He 
submitted  to  the  cabinet  another  plan,  by  which  Boston  should 
be  held  only  till  the  close  of  the  winter,  and  the  troops  there, 
with  all  those  expected  from  the  mother-country,  be  then  con- 
centrated at  New  York,  and  the  main  attack  made  from  that 
quarter.  The  inhabitants  were  more  friendly,  and  by  striking 
at  the  heart  of  the  Union,  he  would  separate  the  northern  and 
southern  states,  and  then,  according  to  circumstances,  curry  on 
operations  against  either.  This  plan  was  approved  by  Lord 
Dartmouth. 

Washington,  meantime,  was  very  slowly  recruiting  his  army, 
which,  at  the  beginning  of  February,  did  not  reach  quite  nine 
thousand  men.      Being  at  that  period  permitted  to  oflfer  a 


was 
the 


THE   REVOLUTION". 


247 


LORD  PBROT. 


bounty,  he  had  in  a  month  collected  above  fourteen  thousand, 
reinforced  by  six  thousand  Massachusetts  militia.  He  con- 
sidered this  force  sufficient  to  attack  the  city ;  but  a  council  of 
officers  decided,  probably  with  reason,  that  such  an  attempt 
offered  no  chance  of  success.  They  proposed,  rather,  to  seize 
and  fortify  the  peninsular  point,  named  Dorchester  Neck, 
whence  the  harbour  would  be  in  a  great  degree  commanded, 
and  the  place,  it  was  hoped,  rendered  untenable.  To  this  he 
consented,  and  the  execution  of  the  movement  was  intrusted  to 
Ward.  The  British  were  amused  two  days  by  an  incessant 
cannonade  and  bombardment ;  till  at  nightfall  of  the  4th  of 
March,  General  Thomas,  with  a  working  body  of  twelve  hun- 
dred, a  covering  force  of  eight  hundred,  and  three  hundred  carts 
of  materials,  marched  undiscovered,  and  took  possession  of  the 
most  elevated  part  of  the  heights.  The  Americans,  being 
chiefly  practical  farmers,  were  extremely  skilful  in  intrenching, 
and  laboured  with  such  diligence,  that,  in  the  morning,  the 
English  with  astonishment  beheld  them  in  a  strongly  fortified 
position.  The  admiral  then  gave  notice  to  Howe,  that  the 
harbour  could  not  be  deemed  secure  as  long  as  this  post  was 
held  by  the  Americans.  Lord  Percy,  with  three  thousand  men, 
was  employed  to  dislodge  them ;  but  a  violent  storm  rendered 
the  operation  impossible,  and  before  it  dispersed,  the  works  were 


?■■  i 


i 


!      i) 


248 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


II I M 


considered  beyond  the  reach  of  assault.  Washington  had  pre- 
pared a  select  corps  to  attack  the  town,  while  its  main  force 
should  be  directed  against  the  heights ;  but  this  project,  never 
very  feasible,  was  now  of  course  given  up.  The  British  com- 
mander then  prepared  to  evacuate  the  place,  and  indeed  its 
maintenance  was  of  little  importance,  since  its  early  relinquish- 
ment formed  part  of  the  plan  of  the  compaign ;  yet  the  triutaph 
thus  afforded  to  the  opposite  party  was  a  circumstance  which 
should  have  been  vigilantly  guarded  against.  Besides,  as  no 
arrangements  were  yet  made  for  landing  at  New  York,  it  be- 
came necessary  to  proceed  first  to  Halifax,  involving  a  great 
loss  of  time.  About  a  fortnight  was  employed  in  preparing 
for  the  embarkation,  a  hazardous  movement  in  the  face  of  a 
superior  army;  but  though  Washington  watched  the  oppor- 
tunity of  attacking,  he  found  no  means  of  attempting  it  with 
any  advantage.  On  the  17th,  the  whole  force  was  on  board, 
and  after  remaining  a  few  days  in  Nantasket  roads,  sailed 
towards  Halifax.  General  Putnam  immediately  entered  Boston, 
which  was  found  strongly  fortified,  and  quite  uninjured.  Wash- 
ington entertr»ined  great  apprehension  that  the  city  would  be 
destroyed.  Some  cannon  and  stores,  which  could  not  be  carried 
away,  became  available  to  him. 

The  American  general  had  for  some  time  suspected  the 
intended  direction  of  the  invading  force  against  New  York. 
This  was  the  more  dreaded,  as  the  feeling  in  favour  of  the 
royal  cause  was  there  very  strong,  especially  in  the  city ;  while 
Captain  Parker  still  commanded  the  harbour,  and  Queen's 
County,  in  Long  Island,  had  refused  to  send  deputies  to  the 
provincial  convention.  The  Congress  had  ordered  a  party  of 
troops  to  enter  that  district,  and  seize  the  arms  of  all  the 
royalists;  but  this  injunction  was  afterwards  withdrawn,  a  step 
much  disapproved  by  Washington.  He  thought  proper  to  sanc- 
tion the  proposal  of  General  Charles  Lee,  one  of  the  most 
distinguished  of  the  provincial  leaders,  who  hastily  raised  a 
body  of  troops  in  Connecticut,  advanced  by  forced  marches 
upon  New  York,  where  there  were  many  disaffected  in- 
habitants, occupied  the  city,  and  began  to  erect  fortifications 
on  its  different  sides.  After  the  evacuation  of  Boston,  the 
commander-in-chief  left  it  defended  by  a  comparatively  small 


the 


THE   REVOLUTION. 


249 


GENERAL  CHARLF.a    LEE. 


force,  under  Ward,  and  proceeded  with  the  main  army  to  New 
York,  where  he  arrived  on  the  13th  of  April. 

As  some  months  would  still  elapse  before  the  British  could 
assemble  their  troops  and  open  the  general  campaign,  they 
determined  to  send  an  expedition  immediately  against  the 
southern  states,  where  the  climate  would  oppose  no  obstacle, 
and  a  decisive  blow  might  be  struck  with  a  smaller  army.  A 
chimerical  hope  was  cherished,  tliat  Clinton,  the  commander, 
might  pursue  a  victorious  career  northwards,  till  he  should 
join  Howe  at  New  York ;  at  all  events,  he  was  instructed  to  be 
there  before  the  opening  of  the  campaign.  After  touching  at 
New  York,  he  joined  Governor  Martin,  near  Cape  Fear ;  but 
the  main  force  was  to  consist  of  seven  regiments  from  England 
by  Sir  Peter  Parker  and  Lord  Cornwallis.  Various  contingen- 
cies delayed  its  arrival  till  the  beginning  of  May ;  and  June 
came  before  the  expedition  reached  Charleston,  its  destination, 
[ts  movements,  and  an  intercepted  letter,  had,  by  that  time, 
betrayed  the  design.  The  most  active  preparations  were  made, 
the  principal  inhabitants  labouring  in  concert  with  the  lower 
classes,  aided  by  a  numerous  body  of  slaves.  The  defences 
were  greatly  strengthened,  and  a  new  fort,  named  in  honour 
of  jts  commander,  Moultrie,  erected  on  Sullivan's  Island,  sepa- 

x2 


i'  ! 


250 


THE   REVOLUTION. 


SIR  nENIir   CLINTON. 


rated  by  a  narrow  creek  from  a  larger  one  named  Long  Island, 
commanded  the  entrance.  Between  five  and  six  thousand  men 
were  assembled,  nearly  half  of  them  regulars,  and  the  chief 
command  was  taken  by  General  Lee. 

The  expedition  arrived  on  the  4  th  of  June,  and  the  troops 
were  landed  on  Long  Island ;  }'et  from  various  obstacles,  the 
attack  was  not  made  till  the  28th.  The  fleet  comprised  two 
ships  of  fifty  guns,  and  six  bearing  from  twenty  to  thirty ;  but 
three  of  the  latter,  through  the  unskilfulness  of  the  pilot,  were 
entangled  in  shoals,  and  could  not  be  brought  into  action.  The 
others,  stationed  before  the  fort,  opened  a  tremendous  fire,  which 
was  kept  up  with  the  greatest  energy  and  spirit.  The  de- 
fenders maintained  their  post  with  equal  firmness;  and  the 
walls,  though  low,  were  composed  of  a  firm  spongy  palmetto 
wood,  in  which  the  balls  sunk  without  shattering  them.  The 
garrison  returned  a  cool,  steady,  and  remarkably  well-directed 
fire,  which  did  terrible  execution ;  the  ships  were  rendered 
almost  unmanageable,  several  of  the  chief  officers  fell,  and  the 
(5ommodore  was  at  one  time  left  alone  on  his  own  deck.  Clinton, 
from  the  land  side,  did  not  co-operate,  having  unexpectedly 
found  the  creek  impassable.     He  offered,  by  conveying  over 


THE  HEVOLUTION. 


251 


two  battalions,  to  effect  a  diversion  in  favour  of  the  naval  com- 
mander :  but  the  latter,  he  complains,  returned  no  answer,  being 
too  confident,  and  ambitious  of  doing  the  whole  himself.  The 
fleet  finally  moved  off  in  a  most  shattered  state,  having  lost 
about  two  hundred  men,  including  Lord  William  Campbell  and 
other  officers  of  rank;  while  the  Americans  had  thirty-five 
killed  and  wounded.  The  whole  affair  was  most  fortunate, 
adding  another  to  the  series  of  successes  gained  by  the  new 
levies,  and  inspiring  them  with  fresh  courage. 

During  the  course  of  this  winter,  a  momentous  design  was 
in  active  progress,  which  had  a  very  important  issue.  Several 
leading  men,  particularly  in  New  England,  had,  from  the  begin- 
ning, extended  their  views  to  the  entire  dissolution  of  their 
connexion  with  Britain. 

In  spring,  1776,  news  v. is  received  that  the  petition  of  Con- 
gress had  been  rejected ;  that  they  had  been  declared  rebels ; 
that  large  armies  were  preparing  to  ?nbdue  them ;  and  that 
their  whole  commerce  was  utterly  prohibu?d.  Thenceforth  a 
large  majority  of  the  leading  men  formed  the  deleiinined  pur- 
pose of  asserting  independence.  The  Union,  it  appeared  to 
them,  could  never  be  then  restored  on  any  footing,  but  that  of 
complete  subjugation.  A  general  desire,  accordingly,  was  now 
felt  to  carry  out  this  measure  in  a  decided  form,  before  the  ex- 
pected military  force,  or  the  conciliatory  commission,  should 
arrive  from  Great  Britain.  The  essay  named  Common  Sense, 
by  Thomas  Paine,  from  its  rough  and  homely  shrewdness,  was 
considered  to  have  produced  a  very  powerful  effect  on  the 
multitude.  As  a  preparative,  Congress  authorized  the  im- 
mediate suppression  of  royal  jurisdiction  in  all  the  coIoiaIcs,  and 
the  formation  of  governments  emanating  from  the  people; 
while  they  met  the  prohibition  against  their  trade  by  throwing 
it  open  to  the  whole  world  except  Britain. 

On  the  22d  of  April,  the  convention  of  North  Carolina  em- 
powered their  delegates  to  concur  with  the  others  in  the 
establishment  of  independence.  That  of  Virginia  went  farther, 
instructing  theirs  to  propose  it.  Boston  was  now  somewhat 
less  forward,  merely  intimating,  if  Congress  should  think  it 
necessary,  their  willing  concurrence.  Thus  supported,  Mr.  Leo, 
a  Virginia  delegate,  on  the  7th  of  June,  1776,  submitted  a 


I  !• 


i!  ■■■ 


262 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


resulution  for  dissolving  all  connexion  with  Great  Britain,  and 
constituting  the  united  colonies  free  and  independent  states. 
It  was  warmly  debated  from  the  8th  to  the  10th,  when  it  was 
carried  by  a  majority  of  one.  As  this  was  not  a  footing  on 
which  so  miglity  a  change  could  be  placed,  the  final  decision 
was  postponed  till  the  1st  of  July.  On  the  4th  of  July,  vote 
from  all  the  colonies  were  procured  in  favour  of  the  measure. 

The  declaration  of  independence,  which  had  been  carefully 
prepared  by  Jefferson,  Adams,  and  Franklin,  was  forthwith 
emitted.  In  this  instrument  Congress  solemnly  published  and 
declared,  that  "  these  United  Colonies  are,  and  of  right  ought 
to  be,  FREE  and  independent  states,"  and  entitled,  as  such,  to 
carry  on  war,  make  peace,  form  alliances,  regulate  commerce, 
and  discharge  all  other  sovereign  functions.  This  momentous 
deed  was  signed  on  the  2(1  of  August,  1776,  by  all  the  members 
then  present. 

In  the  decisive  posture  which  affairs  had  now  assumed, 
Washington  was  actively  endeavouring  to  organize  the  means 
of  maintaining  tlie  hazardous  contest  upon  which  he  had  en- 
tered, as  well  as  of  resisting  the  attack  that  immediately  im- 
pended. His  most  urgent  representations  to  Congress  upon  the 
necessity  of  forming  a  permanent  army  had  been  disregarded ; 
and  he  found  himself  at  the  head  of  a  motley  group,  in  which 
soldiers,  enlisted  only  for  a  year  half  elapsed,  were  mixed  with 
militia  whose  services  were  to  be  still  more  temporary.  In  these 
circumstances,  the  restraints  of  discipline  extended  little  beyond 
the  general  orders.  The  different  states,  having  hitherto  been 
almost  entirely  separated,  viewed  each  other  with  jealous  and 
even  hostile  feelings,  which  were  shared  by  their  respective 
troops,  who  would,  it  is  said,  more  cheerfully  have  fought  with 
their  neighbours  than  with  the  common  enemy.  Their  leader 
was  soon  painfully  convinced,  that  though  bodies  of  people  may 
be  inspired  with  bursts  of  patriotism,  self-interest  soon  becomes 
among  them  the  ruling  principle.  Availing  themselves  of  the 
possession  of  arms,  they  indulged  in  predatory  practices  of  the 
most  scandalous  nature.  The  inferior  officers  were  chosen  by 
the  men,  who  endeavoured  in  various  ways  to  turn  this  privilege 
to  account.  A  previous  stipulation,  it  appears,  was  often  made, 
that  the  surplus  of  the  officers'  pay  above  that  of  the  privates 


to 


• 

\ 

' 

THE    HEVOLUTION. 

253 

■^ 

*•■  • 

' '  i  .1    •'* 


GBMBIIAL  IIUWR. 


Bhould  be  thrown  into  a  common  Htock,  and  equally  shared. 
In  general,  however,  they  were  willing  to  fight,  nnd  had  shown 
themselves  capable  both  of  forming  and  defending  intrench- 
ments.  Washington  made  it  a  rulo  never  to  spare  the  spade ; 
many  were  well  skilled  in  the  desultory  use  of  the  rifle,  yet  ill 
fitted  for  a  field  campaign  with  a  largo  body  of  regular  troops. 
Even  of  these  ineffective  soldiers  there  were,  at  the  beginning 
of  July,  1776,  only  seventeen  thousand;  and  though  they  were 
raised  in  a  few  weeks  to  twenty-sevon  thousand,  it  was  mostly 
by  militia,  numbers  of  whom  were  soon  on  the  sick  list. 

Meantime,  General  Howe  was  engaged  in  conveying  his  army 
to  the  scene  of  action.  The  abrupt  departure  from  Boston  had 
considerably  deranged  his  plans,  as  all  the  Bupplies  were  directed 
toward  that  city,  and  some  thus  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
Americans.  In  June,  however,  the  armament  set  sail ;  and  he 
himself  landed  at  Sandy  Hook,  a  long  promontory  forming  the 
northern  extremity  of  New  Jersey.  Ho  preferred,  however,  to 
land  the  troops  on  Staten,  an  island,  south  of  Long  Island, 
much  smaller,  and  separated  by  a  narrow  channel.  On  the  3d 
of  July,  he  disembarked  there  without  opposition,  being  greeted 
with  assurances  of  welcome  and  support  from  the  adjacent 
territories.  On  the  12th,  he  was  joined  by  his  brother,  Lord 
Howe,  who  had  been  appointed  commander  of  the  fleet,  and 
32 


li' 


I 


!i  lilBl 


254 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


^lii 


also  joint  comniiMMioner  to  treat  of  pacification  ,  while  the  ships, 
with  the  large  rointbrcements  from  Britain,  be^an  arriving  in 
Buccesnive  detachments.  As  operations  were  delayed  till  the 
whole  were  assembled,  his  lordship  circulated  a  proclamation, 
offering  full  pardon  to  all  who  should  return  to  their  duty,  and 
to  any  port  or  colony  so  acting,  peace,  protection,  and  free 
trade.  No  concession  being  mentioned  as  to  the  original  grounds 
of  dispute,  Congress  considered  it  so  unsatisfactory  that  they 
circulated  it  among  the  people,  to  many  of  whom,  however,  it 
Boems  to  have  been  more  acceptable  than  they  expected.  Lord 
Howe  then  attempted  to  open  communication  with  Washing- 
ton. He  addressed  several  letters  to  the  American  commander- 
in-chief,  without  acknowledging  his  official  character.  Washing- 
ton would  not  reply  until  properly  addressed,  and  by  thiu 
dignified  course  won  much  applause.  Nothing  of  importance 
resulted  from  the  communication  between  the  two  commanders. 

The  British  designs  had  been  well  concealed,  and  the 
American  commander  remained  long  in  anxious  doubt  whether 
the  inroad  was  not  to  be  made  on  the  side  of  Canada.  Con- 
sidering New  York,  however,  as  the  most  probable  and  dan- 
gerous point,  he  had  been  diligently  strengthening  all  its 
approaches.  Having  determined  also  to  make  a  stand  for  the 
defence  of  Long  Island,  he  formed  strong  lines  at  Brooklyn, 
nearly  opposite  to  the  city,  stationing  the  flower  of  his  troops 
along  a  range  of  strongly  fortified  heights  in  front  of  the  British 
quarters  on  Staten  Island.  Howe,  meantime,  on  pretty  solid 
grounds,  and  with  his  characteristic  caution,  waited  till  his 
whole  force  was  mustered,  when  he  could  follow  up  without 
interruption  any  success  he  might  obtain.  He  complained 
particularly  of  a  deficiency  in  camp  equipage.  About  the 
middle  of  August,  he  had  been  joined  by  nearly  all  the  rein- 
forcements from  Britain,  and  also  by  those  from  the  south 
under  Clinton  and  Cornwallis,  which  augmented  his  force  to 
about  thirty  thousand  men.  He  still,  however,  waited  a  few 
days  on  account  of  the  intense  heat,  which,  he  dreaded,  would 
injure  the  health  of  the  troops. 

At  length,  on  the  22d  of  August,  the  British  army  crossed 
the  channel,  and,  covered  by  the  guns  of  the  fleet,  landed  on 
Long  Island,  taking  post  opposite  to  the  range  of  heights 


si 
at 


THE    UEVOLUTION. 


255 


occupied  by  the  AmericiuiH.  Wiwliitigton,  in  tlie  iinmediato 
view  of  tlilH  grand  contcHt,  iMMUod  ro|)eated  nddrcMscs,  Htreniiousl)' 
encouraging  Iuh  nicMi,  and  »eoking  to  iuHpiro  confidonce.  Howe, 
on  viewing  the  Anicrican'H  ixwition,  conHidercd  it  too  strong  to 
be  carried  in  front,  but  formed  a  plan  for  turning  it.  Before 
day  on  tlie  27th,  (loneral  (Irant,  with  the  Hessian  troops  under 
De  Heistor,  attacked  the  American  right  wing,  which,  being 
connected  with  Brooklyn,  waH  considered  the  most  important, 
and  wliich  the  AmeriiMins  directed  all  their  efforts  to  reinforce. 
These  oflicors,  in  conjunction  with  the  fleet,  kept  up  a  brisk 
and  continued  fire,  tending  to  ccmflrm  this  impression,  yet 
avoiding  to  make  any  nuiterial  advance.  Meantime,  during  the 
night,  a  strong  detachment  of  the  Knglisl  arn>y,  under  (  linton 
and  Cornwallis,  made  a  wide  circuit  through  a  pass  'i\  the  hills 
round  the  extreme  American  left.  This  had  been  ir  .ufficiently 
guarded  by  a  mere  ])arty  of  observation, 'vhich  ^  is  surpv'sed 
and  captured ;  so  that  Clinton  reached  almost  unresiste«  the 
level  plain  behind  the  American's  position.  About  h  alpast 
eight,  he  appeared  in  their  rear,  while  Grant  r  •/!  De  Heister 
began  pushing  forward  with  their  utmost  vigo  ir.  No  choice 
was  then  left  but  for  the  whole  army  to  regain  the  intrenched 
camp  at  Brooklyn,  in  reaching  which  they  fell  into  the  utmost 
confusion,  and  were  pursued  on  both  flanks  with  dreadful 
slaughter.  Lord  Stirling  attemi)ted  to  cover  thr  retreat  by  an 
attack  with  a  chosen  corps  u\nm  Lord  Cornwallis,  but  was  sur- 
rounded and  taken  prisoner  with  all  his  detachment.  The 
entire  loss  is  stated  at  ui)wardH  of  three  thousand,  including 
eleven  hundred  prisoners,  among  whom  was  General  Sullivan. 
That  of  the  British  was  only  three  ^'undred  and  sixty-seven 
killed,  wounded,  and  taken.  WaHhiii;^'  n,  from  Brooklyn,  wit- 
nessed with  deep  anguish  the  overthrow  of  his  army,  while 
Howe,  from  the  other  side,  saw  that  his  forces  had  gained  a 
decided  advantage  over  the  pa*' 'ots.  The  British  commander 
had  the  fault  of  being  over  cautious.  Instead  of  following  up 
his  advantage,  and  endeavouring  to  strike  a  fatal  blow,  for 
which  he  certainly  possessed  the  means,  he  remained  quiet. 
On  the  29th,  Washington,  with  a  degree  of  military  skill, 
which  alone  would  establish  his  claim  to  be  considered  a  great 
«.onornl.  succeeded  in  conducting  the  retreat  of  his  whole  army, 


1  n 


V- 


256 


THE    REVOLUTION 


RETREAT  FROM  LONa  IllAND. 


with  its  artillery,  to  New  York.  This  was  achieved  in  the  face 
of  a  greatly  superior  force. 

The  commissioners,  who  certainly  showed  an  anxious  desire 
for  pacification,  chose  this  occasion  to  send  Sullivan,  the  cap- 
tured general,  to  Congress,  stating  that  they  could  not  indeed 
as  yet  acknowledge  its  political  character,  but  inviting  some  of 
its  members  to  a  conference.  A  deputation  was  Bent,  consisting 
of  Adams,  Franklin,  and  Rutledge, — strenuous  votaries  of  in- 
dependence. Lord  Howe  received  them  with  great  politeness ; 
but  his  offers  included  merely,  as  usual,  a  general  amnesty,  and 
a  promise  to  reconsider  the  obnoxious  acts ;  while  they  declared 
a  treaty  inadmissible  on  any  basis,  except  that  of  tl'^  states 
being  acknowledged  independent.  On  those  terms  th*  could 
not  be  the  least  approximation  between  the  two  parties. 

General  Howe  now  proceeded  with  moasuros  for  driving  the 
patriots  out  of  New  York,  which,  as  usual,  he  sought  to 
eflfect  rather  by  circuitous  manoeuvre  than  by  direct  assault.  He 
piepared  expeditions  to  ascend  the  opposite  branches  of  the 
Hudson,  which  enclose  New  York  Island,  and  by  landing  above 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


257 


the  city,  oblige  the  Americans  either  to  evacuate  or  be  com- 
pletely shut  up  within  it.  Washington,  viewing  with  alarm 
these  movements,  called  a  council  of  officers,  and  recommended 
the  immediate  withdrawal  of  the  troops ;  but  strong  objections 
being  expressed,  it  was  determined  rather  to  leave  there  five 
thousand  men,  while  the  main  body  occupied  a  strong  post  at 
Kingsbridge,  connecting  the  northern  point  of  the  island  with 
the  continent.  As  the  British  operations  advanced,  the  perils 
attending  this  detached  position  became  evident,  so  that  by 
general  consent,  the  evacuation  was  determined  upon,  and  the 
utmost  activity  employed  in  removing  the  artillery  and  stores. 
On  the  15th  of  8eptembor,  Clinton  landed  at  Kipp's  Bay,  a 
position  strongly  fortilied,  and  defended  by  eight  regiments ; 
but,  dispirited  by  late  disasters,  they  fled  without  attempting 
resistance,  and  Washington  in  vain  strove  to  rally  them.  It 
was  then  necessary  with  the  utmost  haste  to  withdraw  the 
troops,  which  was  eni'ctcd  with  the  loss  of  only  about  three 
hundred  prisoners;  but  they  left  behind  them  a  largo  quantity 
of  artillery,  stores,  and  camp  equipage,  the  want  of  which  was 
most  sensibly  felt. 

The  British  army  now  entered  on  the  peaceable  occupation 
of  New  York ;  yet  it  was  disturbed  by  a  distressing  occurrence. 
On  the  night  of  the  20th  or  morning  of  the  21st  of  September, 
a  fire  broke  out  which  continued  to  rage  till  a  third  of  the  city 
was  consumed.  Gordon  says  that,  amid  the  rejoicings  and 
revelry  of  the  troops  on  their  entry,  the  flames  broke  out  in  on 
obscure  tavern,  in  the  most  crowded  quarter ;  while  from  the 
same  circumstances  they  for  some  time  spread  undiscovered, 
and  were  with  the  utmost  difficulty  extinguished. 

Washington  now  took  post  on  Harlem  Heights,  a  range  which 
crossed  the  island,  and  had  been  so  carefully  fortified,  that 
Howe,  with  his  wonted  caution,  did  not  venture  an  attack. 
His  plan  was  to  oblige  the  Americans  to  relinquish  the  post  by 
landing  on  the  eastern  shore,  thus  threatening  their  rear  and 
communication  with  Now  England.  As  a  preliminary,  three 
frigates  were  sent  up  the  main  stream  of  the  Hudson ;  and, 
notwithstanding  the  resistance  made  by  Forts  Washington  and 
Lee,  and  by  chevaux-de-frize  sunk  in  the  channel,  they  passed 
without  injury.    Before  pushing  into  the  interior,  the  British 


i     i 


?A)S 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


commander  spent  about  three  weeks,  seemingly  a  needless 
waste  of  time,  in  fortifying  New  York.  On  the  12th  of  October, 
having  placed  the  flower  of  his  army  in  flat-bottomed  boats,  he 
proceeded  up  the  eastern  channel,  and  through  the  pass  of 
Hellgate,  to  the  point  called  Frog's  Neck.  Finding  his  advance 
here  much  obstructed,  he  re-embarked  and  landed  higher  up  at 
Pell's  Point,  whence  he  advanced  upon  New  Rochelle.  The 
American  commander,  meantime,  had  called  a  council  of  war, 
which  decided  that  the  position  on  New  York  Island  was  no 
longer  secure;  and  the  troops  accordingly  crossed  at  Kings- 
bridge,  taking  up  a  position  extending  thence  eastward  towards 
White  Plains,  which  was  fortified  as  well  as  time  would  admit. 
Howe,  on  coming  up  and  reconnoitring,  determined  to  attack 
first  a  detached  corps  of  sixteen  hundred  men  under  General 
M'Dougall,  who,  after  a  sharp,  but  short  conflict,  were  dis- 
lodged; but  the  general  position  was  judged  so  strong  as  to 
make  it  advisable  to  wait  for  some  reinforcements.  These 
arrived,  and  the  attack  was  preparing ;  when,  during  the  night 
of  the  31st,  Washington  retired  to  a  range  of  heights  five  miles 
in  his  rear,  which  he  had  been  employed  in  strengthening.  To 
the  cautious  view  of  the  British  commander,  this  post  appeared 
so  formidable,  that  he  determined  to  change  the  seat  of  war  to 
New  Jersey,  a  less  defensible  territory,  whither  his  antagonist 
would  be  obliged  to  follow  him. 

As  a  preliminary,  he  resolved  to  attack  Fort  Washington,  a 
strong  post  still  held  by  the  Americans  on  New  York  Island. 
Howe,  with  an  unusual  boldness,  determined  to  attempt  the 
place  by  storm;  and,  on  the  ICth  of  November,  the  army,  in 
four  divisions,  advanced  to  the  assault.  In  a  few  hours  they 
had  carried  all  the  outworks,  in  which  the  chief  strength  con- 
sisted ;  and  Magaw,  the  governor,  felt  himself  obliged  to  capitu- 
late, though  Washington  sent  word,  that  if  he  could  hold  out 
till  evening,  an  attempt  would  bo  made  to  rescue  him.  The 
prisoners  amounted  to  two  thousand  eight  hundred  and  eighteen, 
rendering  the  loss  nearly  as  heavy  as  at  the  battle  on  Long 
Island ;  while  the  royal  army  had  eight  hundred  killed  and 
wounded.  Cornwallis  immediately  landed  with  a  strong  force 
on  the  Jersey  shore,  when  the  Americans  found  it  necessary 
to  evacuate  Fort  Lee,  opposite  to   Fort  Washington.     The 


THE   REVOLUTION. 


259 


RETREAT  THROUGH  MEW  JER8ET. 


garrison  was  saved,  but  the  cannon,  tents,  and  stores  were  left 
behind. 

The  American  army  was  now  pursued  through  New  Jersey, 
a  level  country,  which  afforded  no  defensible  position,  and  time 
was  not  allowed  to  fortify  any.  After  a  retreat  of  three  weeks 
with  the  ghost  of  an  army,  Wa^^hington  only  secured  himself 
by  crossing  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  Delaware.  The  critical 
period  was  again  approaching,  when  the  terms  for  which  the 
troops  had  been  enlisted  would  expire.  Exhausted  and  dis- 
pirited, they  eagerly  availed  themselves  of  the  liberty  thus 
afforded,  and  even  anticipated  it  without  any  regard  to  the 
exigencies  of  the  service.  He  had  been  urging  in  the  strongest 
terms  upon  Congress  the  ruinous  nature  of  the  temporary 
system  hitherto  pursued,  warning  them  that,  without  a  perma- 
nent and  well  organized  army,  the  cause  was  lost.  Seconded  by 
the  disastrous  state  of  affairs,  he  had  been  empowered  to  raise, 
first  eighty-eight,  and  then  sixteen  more  regular  battalions ;  to 
give  higher  bounties  and  pay ;  and  to  act  in  other  respects  for 
six  months  as  a  military  dictator.  The  men,  however,  were 
not  yet  raised,  and  present  circumstances  were  little  calculated 
to  invite  them  into  the  service.  In  crossing  the  Delaware,  he 
had  with  him  only  three  thousand,  independent  of  a  detach- 
ment left  at  White  Plains,  under  General  Lee.  That  officer, 
while  reluctantly  obeying  the  order  to  join  the  main  force,  and 
suspected  to  be  meditating  some  schemes  of  his  own,  was  sur- 


■• 


I 


260 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


I 


prised  and  made  prisoner, — an  event  which  threw  additional 
gloom  over  the  American  prospects. 

The  course  seemed  now  open  before  Howe  to  cross  the  Dela- 
ware with  the  utmost  possible  expedition,  and  advance  on 
Philadelphia.  Though  probably  not  aware  of  the  extreme 
weakness  of  his  antagonist,  he  could  not  suppose  him  to  have 
any  force  capable  of  arresting  such  a  movement.  The  river 
was  unfordable ;  but  vigorous  exertion  could  surely  have  pro- 
vided the  means  of  passing,  which  the  ice  at  all  events  would 
soon  have  rendered  easy.-  Washington  entertained  no  doubt 
of  this  being  his  opponent's  intention;  and,  though  its  ac- 
complishment "would  wound  the  heart  of  every  virtuous  Ame- 
rican," declares  himself  wholly  without  the  means  of  preventing 
it.  Congress,  in  consequence,  removed  their  sittings  to  Balti- 
more. 

Still,  though  the  American  cause  seemed  reduced  to  the 
lowest  ebb.  Congress  remained  firm,  announcing  to  their  coun- 
trymen and  to  the  powers  of  Europe,  a  determination  to  adhere 
immutably  to  the  declaration  of  independence.  Washington 
felt,  with  almost  exaggerated  force,  the  weight  of  the  evils 
that  pressed  upon  the  cause ;  yet,  with  a  firm  and  bold  spirit, 
he  watched  every  opportunity  of  retrieving  it.  He  had  collected 
about  five  or  six  thousand  men,  and  prevailed  upon  some, 
whose  service  had  expired,  to  remain  for  other  six  weeks.  The 
English  army,  covering  the  Jerseys,  was  ranged  along  the  De- 
laware, from  Trenton  to  Burlington,  on  which  line  there  was 
reason  to  believe  that  no  very  strict  watch  would  be  kept.  The 
bold  genius  of  Washington  conceived  a  plan,  which  was  eagerly 
adopted.  The  troops  being  formed  into  three  detachments,  he, 
with  the  strongest,  amounting  to  two  thousand  four  hundred, 
crossed  the  river  on  the  night  of  the  25th  of  December,  and  from 
two  opposite  points  attacked  Trenton,  then  occupied  by  Colonel 
Rhalle  with  a  strong  body  of  Hessians.  That  officer,  while 
hastily  mustering  his  men,  received  a  mortal  wound ;  and  the 
whole  corps,  surprised  and  surrounded,  speedily  surrendered. 
The  two  other  detachments  were  arrested  by  severe  cold  and 
tempest,  otherwise  they  might,  it  was  hoped,  have  been  equally 
successful,  and  a  sweep  made  of  the  whole  range  of  positions 
Washington,  however,  had  good  reason  to  congratulate  himself 


f 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


261 


I 


BATTLE   OF  TRENTON. 


on  carrying  off  nearly  one  thousand  prisoners,  with  only  ten  of 
his  own  men  killed  and  wounded, — a  most  unexpected  event, 
which  wonderfully  revived  the  sinking  spirits  of  his  country- 
men. 

Washington  now  crossed  the  Delaware,  and,  with  five  thou- 
sand men,  took  post  at  Trenton ;  but  Cornwallis,  mustering  all 
his  force,  advanced  upon  him;  and,  on  the  2d  of  January, 
1777,  the  two  armies  were  separated  only  by  a  creek.  The 
American  general  easily  saw  that,  by  engaging  here  a  superior 
army,  he  ran  imminent  hazard  of  being  defeated,  and  driven 
over  the  Delaware  with  great  disadvantage  and  loss.  He  formed 
a  bold  design ;  breaking  up  silently  in  the  night,  he  moved 
round  the  British  right,  and  advanced  rapidly  upon  Brunswick, 
where  their  chief  magazines  were  lodged.  He  might,  seemingly, 
have  succeeded,  had  he  not  encountered  at  Princeton  three 
regiments  coming  up  to  join  the  main  army.  The  Americans 
were  at  first  repulsed,  and  General  Mercer  killed ;  but  Wash- 
ington, by  extraordinary  exertions,  restored  the  action^  separated 
his  opponents,  and  obliged  them  to  retreat  in  different  direc- 
tions. He  then,  however,  saw  advancing  against  him  the  van 
of  Cornwallis,  who,  having  received  the  alarm,  hastened  to 
frustrate  his  scheme  ;  and  as  he  could  not  hazard  a  battle  with- 
out the  certainty  of  defeat,  with  the  risk  of  having  his  retreat 
cut  off,  he  prudently  fell  back.  In  this  skirmish,  the  loss  on 
33 


; 


i 


262 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


i'ita 


B 


both  sides  was  nearly  equal ;  but  the  having  made  another  bold 
offensive  movement  without  disadvantage,  heightened  greatly 
the  favourable  impression  produced  by  his  former  enterprise. 
The  English  general  then  repaired  to  Brunswick,  and  limited 
himself  to  a  defensive  line  thence  to  Amboy,  merely  covering 
New  York.  This,  in  a  military  sense,  was  perhaps  most  eligible , 
but  with  a  view  to  moral  effect,  it  would  have  been  better  to^ 
have  resumed,  almost  at  any  cost,  his  former  positions,  and  not  W 
allowed  his  weak  and  beaten  enemy  to  re-occupy  nearly  the 
whole  of  the  Jerseys. 

It  now  behoved  the  British  commander-in-chief  to  form  plans 
for  the  approaching  compaign ;  and  the  first  which  he  com- 
municated was  in  accordance  with  the  general  views  we  have 
observed  him  to  entertain.  A  detachment  being  left  to  cover 
New  Jersey,  one  expedition  was  to  ascend  the  Hudson,  another 
to  land  at  Rhode  Island,  and  endeavour  thence  to  push  on  to 
Boston.  This  course  seems  liable  to  all  the  objections  already 
stated,  with  the  additional  one  of  its  dividing  the  active  force 
into  two  entirely  detached  portions.  It  would  also  have  required 
a  reinforcement  of  fifteen  thousand  men,  which,  it  appears,  was 
not  likely  to  be  forthcoming.  On  further  consideration,  he 
decided  in  favour  of  an  expedition  against  Philadelphia,  which 
could  be  accomplished  with  a  smaller  force,  and  was  favoured 
by  the  reported  disposition  of  the  inhabitants.  This  was  ap- 
proved by  the  ministry,  and,  for  reasons  above  stated,  seems 
the  wisest  course,  though  too  tardily  adopted.  A  detachment 
had  already  been  sent,  under  Clinton,  to  occupy  Rhode  Island, 
— a  measure  justly  censured  by  Botta,  as  weakening,  for  this 
very  subordinate  object,  the  main  body,  still  scarcely  adequate 
to  its  destination.  Lord  Howe  considered  it  very  important 
as  a  naval  station ;  but  he  should  have  considered  that  it  was 
by  land  operations  only  that  the  campaign  was  to  be  decided. 

The  remainder  of  the  winter  was  employed  by  the  British 
in  making  two  expeditions  for  the  destruction  of  stores  collected 
by  the  Americans,  at  Peekskill  and  Danbury.  The  first  was 
conducted  by  Colonel  Bird,  who  landed  with  about  500  men  at 
Peekskill,  on  the  east  side  of  Hudson  river,  nearly  50  miles 
from  New  York ;  but  on  his  approach,  General  M'Dougal,  with 
the  few  Americans  stationed  there  as  a  guard,  fired  the  principal 


pass? 
pelk 
east 
Ride 
theii 
tinu( 
whei 
Ame 
and 
Yorl 
170 
Tl 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


263 


store-houses,  and  retired.  The  loss  of  provisions,  forage,  and 
other  valuable  articles,  was  considerable. 

The  second  enterprise  was  conducted  by  Major  General 
Tryon,  who  with  a  detachment  of  2000  men  embarked  at  New 
York,  and  passing  through  Long  Island  Sound,  landed  at  Campo. 
between  Fairfield  and  Norwalk  ;  whence  he  advanced  through 
the  country,  almost  undisturbed,  to  Danbury.  On  his  approach. 
Colonel  Huntington,  who  had  occupied  the  town  with  100 
militia  and  continental  troops,  retired  to  a  neighbouring  height, 
where  he  waited  for  reinforcements.  The  British  destroyed  18 
houses,  800  barrels  of  pork  and  beef,  800  barrels  of  flour,  2000 
bushels  of  grain,  and  1700  tents.  Generals  Wooster,  Arnold, 
and  Silliman,  hastily  collecting  several  hundred  of  the  inhabi- 
tants, proceeded  that  night  through  a  heavy  rain  to  Bethel, 
about  eight  miles  from  Danbury.  The  next  morning  they 
divided  their  troops ;  and  General  "Wooster  with  about  300  men 
fell  on  their  rear,  while  Arnold  with  about  500,  bv  a  rapid 
movement,  took  post  in  their  front  at  Ridgefield. 

Wooster,  coming  up  with  them  about  eleven  in  the  morning, 
attacked  them  with  great  gallantry.  A  sharp  skirmish  ensued, 
in  which  he  was  mortally  wounded,  and  his  troops  were  com- 
pelled to  give  way.  The  enemy  proceeded  to  Ridgefield,  where 
Arnold,  who  had  barricaded  the  road,  warmly  disputed  the 
passage ;  but,  after  a  skirmish  of  nearly  an  hour,  being  com- 
pelled to  give  way,  he  retreated  to  Saugatuck,  about  three  miles 
east  of  Norwalk.  The  British,  having  remained  that  night  at 
Ridgefield,  set  fire  to  the  place,  and  early  next  morning  resumed 
their  march.  Arnold  met  them  again  about  eleven,  and  a  con- 
tinued skirmishing  was  kept  up  until  five  in  the  afternoon, 
when,  on  their  making  a  stand  at  a  hill  near  their  ships,  the 
Americans  charged  them  with  intrepidity,  but  were  repulsed 
and  broken.  The  enemy  immediately  re-embarked  for  New 
York.  Their  killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  amounted  to  about 
170 ;  the  loss  of  the  Americans  was  not  admitted  to  exceed  100. 

This  predatory  excursion  was  not  long  after  retaliated.  A 
quantity  of  provisions  had  been  deposited  at  Sagg  Harbour,  on 
the  eastern  end  of  Long  Island,  and  confided  to  a  schooner  with 
12  guns  and  a  company  of  infantry.  General  Parsons,  who 
commanded  a  few  of  the  Connecticut  recruits  at  New  Haven, 


264 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


i  I'     !l 


conceding  it  practicable  to  surprise  this  small  post  and  some 
others  not  very  distant  from  it,  intrusted  the  execution  of  his 
plan  to  Lieutenant  Colonel  Meigs,  a  very  enterprising  and 
gallant  officer,  who  had  distinguished  himself  in  the  attempt 
on  Quebec.  On  the  23d  of  May,  he  embarked  at  Guilford  with 
about  170  men,  on  board  13  whale  boats,  and  proceeded,  under 
convoy  of  two  armed  sloops,  across  the  Sound  to  the  north 
division  of  the  island  near  Southhold.  A  small  foraging  party, 
against  which  the  expedition  was  in  part  directed,  having  left 
this  place  for  New  York,  the  boats  were  immediately  conveyed 
across  the  land,  about  15  miles,  into  a  bay,  by  which  the  east 
end  of  Long  Island  is  deeply  intersected,  where  the  troops  re- 
embarkcd,  and,  crossing  the  bay,  landed  at  two  in  the  morning 
about  four  miles  from  Sagg  Harbour.  This  place  they  com- 
pletely surprised,  and  carried  with  charged  bayonets.  A  division 
of  the  detachment  at  the  same  time  burned  12  vessels,  with  the 
forage  which  had  been  collected  for  the  supply  of  the  British 
army.  Six  of  the  enemy  were  killed,  and  90  captured.  Colonel 
Meigs  returned  to  Guilford  with  his  prisoners,  without  the  loss 
of  a  single  man. 

Washington,  meantime,  was  actively  employing  those  dic- 
tatorial powers  for  raising  and  organizing  troops  which  the  exi- 
gency of  affairs  had  at  length  extorted  from  Congress.  Levies, 
however,  went  on  very  slowly,  through  the  discouraging  state 
of  the  cause  and  the  rigour  of  the  season ;  so  that,  at  the  open- 
ing of  the  compaign,  he  had  not  mustered  quite  eight  thousand 
men.  Tliese,  however,  were  in  an  improved  state  of  discipline, 
bearing  somewhat  the  aspect  and  character  of  a  regular  army ; 
and  during  the  winter  months,  he  had  strongly  intrenched 
them  in  a  position  covering  the  route  to  Philadelphia.  Howe 
considered  it  inexpedient  to  open  the  campaign  till  the  middle 
of  June,  when  the  forage  was  green  on  the  ground, — a  delay, 
the  necessity  of  which  has  been  doubted.  He  then  assumed  a 
position  in  front  of  the  Americans,  which  he  maintained  six 
days ;  but,  after  having  carefully  reconnoitred  their  camp,  con- 
sidered it  too  strong  for  attack,  and  fell  back  to  his  original 
station.  His  next  manoeuvre  was  to  commence  an  apparently 
precipitate  retreat ;  by  which  Washington  was  so  fat  deceived, 
that  he  engaged  in  a  hasty  pursuit,  when  the  royal  troops,  as 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


WARHINOTON. 


soon  as  the  Americans  were  close  upon  them,  wheeled  round 
and  made  a  brisk  attack.  Lord  Cornwallis  pursued  a  detach- 
ment under  Lord  Stirling  to  a  considerable  distance ;  but  the 
American  general,  on  seeing  his  error,  exerted  such  activity  in 
withdrawing  his  detachments,  that  they  regained  their  in- 
trenched position  without  very  serious  loss. 

The  British  commander,  having  thus  failed  in  his  attempts 
to  bring  the  Americans  to  action,  conceived  it  impossible,  in 
their  face,  to  attempt  the  passage  of  so  broad  a  river  as  the 
Delaware.  There  appeared  no  alternative  but  to  embark  his 
army,  and,  by  a  great  circuit,  land  them  at  the  head  of  the 
Chesapeake.  Li  fact,  the  British  force  was  not  on  board  till 
the  5th  of  July,  and  did  not  reach  its  destination  till  the  24th 
of  August,  when  it  was  landed  without  opposition. 

Washington  had  been  carefully  watching  its  movements,  and 
recruiting  his  own  force,  which  he  had  raised  to  fourteen 
thousand,  not  the  most  numerous,  but  the  most  elBficient  of  any 


2ce 


THE   REVOLUTION. 


LOUD   OaltNWALLIS. 


he  had  hitherto  commanded.  Ue  determined,  therefore,  to 
risk  a  battle  in  defence  of  Philadelphia,  though  conscious  that 
its  issue  must  Ije  very  doubtful ;  but  otherwise  the  expectations 
of  the  country  would  be  disappointed,  and  a  discouragement 
ensue  worse  than  defeat.  The  only  considerable  stream  on  the 
route  was  the  Brandy  wine,  along  whose  high  banks  he  drew  up 
his  army,  erecting  batteries  and  intrenchments  for  the  defence 
of  the  principal  fords.  Howe's  advance  to  this  point  was  ob- 
structed only  by  the  skirmishes  with  his  advanced  guard ;  yet 
proceeding  with  characteristic  deliberation,  he  did  not  reach  it 
till  the  11th  of  September.  Determining  then  upon  an  attack, 
he  made  his  arrangements  with  skill  and  judgment.  Knyp- 
hausen,  with  the  Hessians,  attacked  the  American  front,  driv- 
ing them  across  the  river,  with  apparently  vigorous  attempts  to 
follow,  yet  avoiding  any  actual  advance.  Meantime,  a  strong 
division  under  Cornwallis,  accompanied  by  Howe  himself,  made 
a  circuit  of  seventeen  miles  to  pass  by  the  upper  fords.  Wash- 
ington had  received  ^ome  intimation  of  this  movement,  but, 
distracted  by  opposite  reports,  did  not  sufficiently  provide 
against  it.  Cornwallis  reached  the  right  of  the  American  army 
before  it  had  time  to  form,  and,  by  a  vigorous  attack,  he  com- 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


267 


aa 


pletely  broke  and  drove  them  before  him.  Knyphausen, 
Booii  as  he  heard  this  firing,  puMJied  forward  with  his  whole 
force,  when  the  American  centre,  ah'eady  alarmed  by  the  dis- 
aster of  its  right,  gave  way  at  every  point.  After  some  vain 
attempts  by  Greene  to  cover  the  retriMit,  the  whole  army 
retreated,  losing  more  than  one  thousand  killed  and  wounded 
and  prisoners.  Howe  has  been  severely  blamed  for  not  following 
up  this  as  other  victories;  while  he  and  ('ornwallis  reply,  that 
this  was  neither  practicable  nor  safe  in  a  country  encumbered 
with  immense  woods,  where  the  fugitive  army  easily  found 
shelter,  and  could  have  harassed  tlieir  j)tu*Huers  with  a  de- 
sultory warfare.    But  this  is  not  a  sulUcient  justification. 

The  American  general  soon  re-assembled  bis  defeated  army, 
and,  though  slowly  retreating,  di<l  not  give  up  all  hopes  of 
saving  Philadelphia.  He  was  even  alK)ut  again  to  engage  the 
enemy,  when  a  violent  storm,  continued  during  a  whole  day 
and  night,  prevented  the  conflict  and  rendered  his  ammunition 
useless.  Still  it  was  only  by  Bkilfid  nuinauvres  that  his 
opponent  succeeded  in  entering  the  capital,  and  obliging  him 
to  retreat  beyond  it.  Congress,  who  had  returned  thither, 
removed  first  to  Lancaster  and  thou  to  Yorktown. 

Thus  established  in  Philadelphia,  Howe  pushed  forward  the 
main  body  of  his  force  to  German  town.  A  large  part,  however, 
was  employed  in  reducing  a  chain  of  forts  and  batteries,  which 
the  Americans  had  erected  on  the  Lower  Delaware,  interrupting 
the  direct  communication  with  the  sea,  where  Admiral  Lord 
Howe,  after  landing  the  troops  at  the  head  of  the  Chesapeake, 
had  brought  round  the  fleet.  Washington,  having  received 
some  reinforcements,  determined  to  take  advantage  of  this 
divided  state  of  the  army  by  a  sudden  attack  on  the  portion 
stationed  at  Germantown.  At  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening  of 
the  3d  of  October,  his  troops  advanced  in  four  divisions,  and, 
having  marched  fourteen  miles,  at  daybreak  took  the  British 
completely  by  surprise.  For  some  time  he  carried  all  before 
him ;  but  he  was  arrested  by  a  largo  8ton©  building,  obstinately 
defended  by  six  companies,  and  his  trt)ops  became  confused  in 
a  heavy  fog.  On  the  opposing  force  kung  fully  drawn  forth, 
he  was  repulsed  at  every  point,  with  the  loss  of  upwards  of  a 
thousand  in  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners.    Notwithstanding 


i 


2G8 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


■  ATTLB   or  Rin  BANK. 


this  unfortunate  issue,  a  favourable  impression  of  his  resources 
was  conveyed  by  his  resuming  the  ofiensive  so  soon  after  the 
defeat  at  Brandywine. 

The  British  troops  were  now  employed  in  reducing  the 
defences  of  the  Delaware.  In  attacking  the  fort  of  Red  Bank, 
commanded  by  Colonel  Christopher  Greene,  a  detachment 
under  Count  Donop,  a  gallant  German  officer,  was  repulsed, 
with  the  loss  of  about  four  hundred  men,  and  the  commander 
mortally  wounded.  It  was  afterwards  relinquished  on  the 
approach  of  a  superior  force ;  but  November  had  nearly  closed 
before  the  passage  for  the  fleet  was  completely  cleared.  Howe, 
then,  on  the  4  th  of  December,  marched  out  with  the  view  of 
again  bringing  the  American  general  to  battle.  The  latter, 
having  received  four  thousand  additional  troops  from  the  north, 
had  taken  up  a  position  at  Whitemarsh,  about  fourteen  miles 
from  Philadelphia,  which  he  considered  so  strong,  that  his 
letters  express  a  desire  of  being  there  attacked ;  but  the  Eng- 
lish general,  upon  a  careful  survey,  declined  the  engagement, 
and,  after  some  days'  skirmishing,  fell  back  upon  the  capital. 
The  attention  of  the  American  commander  was  then  anxiously 
directed  to  the  choice  of  winter-quarters.  After  much  hesita- 
tion, he  fixed  upon  Valley  Forge,  on  the  Schuylkill,  a  very 
wild  and  bare  spot,  but  well  fitted  for  straitening  the  EngUsh 


TUE    KEVOLUTION. 


209 


position,  and  overawing  tho  inluibitantH,  who  were  gonurally 
disaflcctod.  The*  troops  hibourcd  under  a  Hcarcity  of  provinions, 
and  still  nioro  of  clothes  and  hIioch;  ho  that  their  inarches  were 
nuuked  hy  tracks  of  blood  from  their  wounded  feet.  The 
country  people  were  indinpowul  to  supply  goodw,  and  set  very 
little  value  on  the  pajKir  certidcates  oil'ered  in  return;  but 
Wushington  on  one  occasion  only  would  agree  to  a  compulsory 
re([ui.sition.  Tho  encampmont  consiHted  of  rude  log-hutn, 
erected  by  the  soldiers,  in  ono  of  which  twelve  were  lodged. 
Their  HullerlngH  during  the  winter  were  most  intense,  and  their 
endurance  is  highly  honounible  to  their  own  patriotism,  and 
the  iRT-suasive  inlluence  of  their  distinguished  comnianUer 

We  have  already  notiited  that  tho  American  expedition 
against  Canada  had  been  signally  disastrouH.  After  being 
severely  repulsed  at  (Quebec,  tlu^y  had,  in  the  course  of  De- 
cember, 1770,  been  com[K'lled  entirely  to  evacuate  the  province. 
The  plan  was  then  formed  to  stsnd  from  that  country  a  strong 
British  force,  which,  penetrating  across  the  back  settlements  of 
New  York,  might  form  a  junction  with  Howe,  and  second  his 
operations.  The  command  wiis  bestowed  on  Burgoyne,  an 
officer  of  merit;  but  his  suporseding  Carleton,  who  had  highly 
distinguished  himself  in  the  dofonco  of  Canada,  was  by  no 
means  popular. 

About  the  middle  of  June,  1777,  Burgoyne  began  his  march, 
with  six  thousand  seven  hundred  British  and  Germans,  to 
Avhich  he  could  only  add  two  hundred  and  fifty  Canadians,  and 
four  hundred  Indians.  His  first  movement  was  against  Crown 
Point  and  Ticonderoga,  considered  tlie  barriers  of  the  Union  on 
that  frontier.  These  forts,  wliich  the  Americans  so  fortunately 
acquired  at  the  beginning  of  tho  contest,  had  been  enlarged 
and  strengthened,  and  were  now  garrisoned  by  above  three 
thousand  men.  When,  however,  on  the  5th  of  July,  the  works 
were  nearly  invested,  General  St.  Clair  called  a  council  of 
officers,  who  decided  that  tho  force,  being  mostly  militia,  was 
insufficient  for  their  defence.  A  retreat  was  therefore  eflfected 
during  the  night,  the  baggage  and  stores  being  embarked  upon 
Lake  George.  As  soon  as  morning  betrayed  this  movement,  a 
vigorous  pursuit  was  commenced,  several  detachments  were  cut 
ofi',  and  the  flotilla  on  the  lake  destroyed ;  while  the  American 
34  Z 


h 


270 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


OEXERAL  BOBDYLIR. 


forces,  greatly  reduced  in  numbers,  retreated  to  Fort  Edward, 
on  the  Hudson. 

This  triumphant  opening  filled  the  Britinh  with  exultation, 
while  it  created  alarm  among  the  patriots.  The  former,  how- 
ever, soon  encountered  great  and  unforcHeen  obstacles.  The 
country,  wholly  intersected  with  crooks  and  marshes,  required 
a  constant  alternation  of  land  and  water  conveyance,  which  the 
Americans,  under  General  Schuyler,  rendered  more  difficult  by 
felling  large  trees  and  laying  them  across  the  paths.  It  was 
necessary  to  construct  forty  bridges,  one  of  them  two  miles  in 
extent,  while  the  bateaux  had  to  be  dragged  from  creek  to  creek 
by  ten  or  twelve  oxen.  The  interval  between  the  30th  of  July 
and  15th  of  August  was  thus  spent  in  an  advance  of  only 
eighteen  miles.  The  inhabitants  were  animated  with  a  strong 
spirit  of  independence,  and  eminently  fitted  for  desultory  war- 
fare. The  "  Green  Mountain  boys,"  who  roamed  and  hunted 
over  that  lofty  branch  of  the  Alleghany,  poured  down  in  large 
bodies,  and  with  rifles  all  but  unerring,  proved  as  formidable 
in  this  wild  region  as  the  best  trained  regulars.     The  Indians 


a     ,! 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


271 


HURDEB  or  HISS  U'CREA. 


did  not  yield  services  equal  to  the  odium  which  their  employ- 
ment excited.  A  party  of  them  attacked  a  house,  and  captured 
two  women,  one  of  them  a  Miss  M'Crea.  The  prisoners  were 
taken  in  different  directions  towards  the  British  camp,  to  avoid 
the  pursuit  of  the  Americans  at  Fort  Edward.  According  to 
the  story  of  the  two  red  men  who  had  Miss  M'Crea  in  charge, 
they  were  fired  upon,  and  she  was  wounded;  whereupon  they 
killed  and  scalped  her.  The  British  general  iuid  offered  a 
reward  for  scalps,  but  a  greater  one  for  prisoners:  and  as  it  was 
therefore  to  the  interest  of  the  Indians  to  take  their  captive 
alive  to  the  British  camp,  their  story  of  lier  death  may  be 
believed.  A  more  romantic  version  of  the  affair  was  given  at 
the  time,  and  a  feeling  of  mingled  horror  and  indignation  was 
universal. 

Burgoync,  being  now  hard  pressed  for  provisions,  and  the 
means  of  transport,  and  learning  that  there  was  a  large  supply 
at  Bennington,  Vermont,  despatched  Colonel  Bnum,  with  600 
Germans  and  Indians,  to  seize  them.     The  alarm  was  «oon 


ii 


272 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


OENBRAL  BTAItK. 


sounded.  The  militia  of  Veniiont  and  New  Hampshire 
mustered  strongly  under  General  Jolm  8tark,  an  officer  of  ex- 
perience and  determination.  Arriving  at  Walloon  Creek,  Baum 
heard  of  the  approach  of  tlie  AniericaiiH,  and  there  halted  and 
intrenched  his  force.  An  exprcsH  wan  sent  to  Burgoyne  for  a 
reinforcement.  Stark,  having  IGOO  men  under  his  command, 
resolved  to  attack  the  enemy.  The  battle  was  fought  upon 
the  16th  of  August,  1777.  Ihiving  sent  (Jolonel  Nichols,  with 
250  men,  to  the  rear  of  the  enemy's  left  wing,  and  Colonel  Hen- 
drick,  with  300,  to  the  rear  of  their  right,  and  placed  300  to 
oppose  their  front  and  draw  their  attention.  Stark  sent  Colonels 
Hubbard  and  Stickney  with  200  to  attack  the  right  wing,  and 
100  more  to  reinforce  Colonel  Nichols.  The  attack  began 
precisely  at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  The  several  de- 
tachments seconded  the  onset,  and  General  Stark  advanced  at 
the  same  time  with  the  main  body.     The  engagement  lasted 


,ii.i;' 


THE   REVOLUTION. 


273 


BATTLE    OP    BENNINGTON. 

two  hours ;  but  the  German  troops  were  at  length  obliged  to 
abandon  their  breastworks,  and  retreat  into  tlie  woods,  leaving 
their  commander  mortally  wounded  on  the  field  of  battle. 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Brevman,  whom  Burgo\  ne  had  detached 
with  500  Germans  to  the  assistance  of  Colonel  Baum,  coming 
up  just  in  time  to  join  the  fugitives,  was  vigorously  attacked 
by  the  Americans,  and,  after  having  mn'le  a  very  gallant  re- 
sistance, and  expended  all  his  ammunition,  was  obliged  to  retreat. 
The  loss  of  the  British  in  these  two  engaL-^^^ments  was  nbout 
600  men;  1000  stand  of  arras,  and  900  swords,  were  taken  by 
the  Americans. 

Another  portion  of  Burgoyne'^  army  was  equally  unfoi- 
tunate.  It  consisted  of  one  thousand  five  hundred  regulars, 
Canadians,  and  Indians,  under  the  commnnd  of  Colonel  St. 
Leger.  and  was  destined  to  cross  Lake  Ontario,  capture  Fort 
Schuyler,  and,  ascending  the  Mohawk,  reinforce  the  main  body. 

z2 


1H 


M 


11 


274 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


"'1,1 


k 


BENEDICT  ARNOLD. 


V   'i 


But  Colonel  Gansevoort  defended  Fort  Schuyler  with  indomi- 
table resolution.  On  the  first  approach  of  the  royal  army, 
General  Herkimer,  who  commanded  the  militia  of  Try  on 
county,  assembled  them  in  considerable  force  for  the  relief  of  the 
garr'son.  St.  Leger,  receiving  information  of  his  approach, 
sent  out  a  strong  detachment  of  regulars  and  Indians,  who  lay 
in  ambuscade  on  the  road,  by  which  he  was  to  march.  Into 
this  ambuscade  Herkimer  fell,  and  his  party  was  defeated 
with  great  slaughter.  The  loss  was  estimated  at  about  400 
men.    (August  6.) 

General  Arnold  was  now  despotched  with  a  brigade  of  troops 
to  attack  the  besiegers ;  but  their  force  being  greatly  superior 
to  his  own,  recourse  wn?  had  to  stratagem.  A  man  who  was 
the  proprietor  of  a  handsome  estate  in  the  vicinity,  having  been 
taken  up  as  a  spy,  was  employed  as  a  deceptive  messenger  to 
spread  an  alarm,  and  induce  the  enemy  to  retreat;  on  con- 
dition, if  he  succeeded,  that  he  should  be  liberated,  and  his 
estate  secured  to  him.  The  stratagem  was  successful.  The 
Indians  instantly  determined  to  quit  the  ground ;  and  St. 
Leger,  finding  himself  deserted  by  700  oi*  800  of  these  important 
auxiliaries,  decamped  in  the  greatest  hurry  and  confusion,  and 
returned  to  Montreal,  leaving  his  tents,  with  most  of  his 
artillery  and  stores,  in  the  field. 

Burgoyne   now   felt  the  difficulties  of  his  situation  daily 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


275 


thickening  around  him.  Gates,  a  distinguished  leader,  had 
been  sent  to  take  the  command  of  the  Americans,  bringing  a 
body  of  regulars,  who,  with  the  numerous  volunteers  and 
militia,  now  formed  an  army  of  thirteen  thousand  men,  with 
habits  eminently  fitted  for  this  desultory  warfare.  Considera- 
tions purely  military  would  have  dictated  a  return  into  Canada, 
while  yet  possible;  but  the  English  general  had  to  consider 
the  dishonour  of  the  British  arms  by  a  retreat  before  this  un- 
disciplined foe ;  the  strict  injunctions  laid  upon  him  to  advance 
on  Albany,  where  he  was  thought  to  expect  that  Howe  would 
be  waiting  for  his  junction,  while  otherwise  Gates  might  wheel 
round,  and  augment  the  force  acting  against  that  commander. 
He  had  therefore  strong  motives  for  his  determination  to  ad- 
vance at  whatever  cost.  It  was  necessary,  however,  to  give  up 
his  communication  with  Ticonderoga  and  the  lakes,  having  no 
force  adequate  to  maintain  the  necessary  chain  of  posts.  Re- 
solving to  push  forward  and  cut  his  way  through  the  American 
troops  to  Albany,  he  led  his  army  briskly,  ia  several  columns, 
along  the  roads  leading  thither,  disposing  them  so  as  1 .  cover  his 
artillery  and  baggage.  The  Americans  determined  upon  re- 
sisting this  movement  by  a  general  attack.  They  commenced 
it  at  Stillwater,  about  noon  of  the  19th  of  September,  and 
maintained  the  contest  very  obstinately  till  dusk,  when  they 
retired  within  their  lines.  The  energy,  however,  with  which 
they  had  maintained  their  ground,  and  the  loss  of  six  hundred 
men  sustained  by  the  already  reduced  British  force,  gave  it  the 
character  of  a  triumph ;  while  it  heightened  the  gloom  which 
surrounded  Burgoyne,  who  now  determined  to  pause,  and 
fortify  himself  in  his  present  position.  On  the  3d  of  October, 
fifteen  hundred  men,  sent  out  to  forage  and  reconnoitre,  rashly 
advanced  within  half  a  mile  of  the  American  intrenchments, 
when  the  daring  Arnold  instantly  sallied  out,  attacked  and 
drove  them  back  to  their  camp.  The  whole  American  army 
then  followed  and  commenced  a  most  furious  assault  on  the 
lines.  From  the  British  quarter  they  were  repulsed ;  but  the 
German  intrenchments  were  carried,  two  hundred  prisoners 
taken,  and  Breyman  with  several  leading  officers  killed  or 
wounded.  After  this  disaster  it  was  judged  necessary  to  fall 
back  upon  Saratoga 


!      :!M 


276 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


¥'•■ 


As  already  noticed,  Burgoyne  had  been  impelled  forward  by 
the  belief  that  Howe  with  hia  whole  army  was  waiting  for  him 
on  the  Hudson,  and  probably  at  Albany;  and  having  been 
strangely  kept  ignorant  of  that  commander's  total  change  of 
destination,  while  his  attempts  at  communication  were  inter- 
rupted, he  remained  still  in  the  dark  on  this  subject.  A  letter 
from  him,  hoAvever,  reached  New  York,  where  Clinton  had 
been  left  with  a  force  barely  sufficient  to  maintain  that  position, 
and  without  any  instructions  to  co-operate  with  Burgojaie ;  so 
that  the  intelligence  from  that  general,  though  so  fully  to  be 
exixH'tod,  seems  to  have  fallen  upon  nim  like  a  thunderbolt. 
Hoing  ail  energetic  and  active  officer,  he  assembled  throe  thousand 
n)en,  and  began  a  brisk  movement  up  the  Hudson.  The  ibrts 
oi' Clinton  and  Montgomery,  which,  on  opposite  banks,  defended 
■  iie  navigation,  were  carried,  sixty-seven  cannon  taken,  two 
frigates,  and  two  galleys  burned.  Trjon  destro3'ed  barracks 
fitted  to  accommodate  fifteen  hundred  men;  and  Vaughan  in- 
curred reproach  by  reducing  to  ashes  the  town  of  Esopus,  on 
the  insufficient  plea  that  the  troops  had  been  fired  at  from  the 
houses,  and  that  "  it  was  a  nursery  for  almost  every  villain 
(malcontent)  in  the  country."  Though  Gates  observed  these 
movements,  he  wisely  forbore  to  weaken  his  army  by  detach- 
ments against  this  corps,  which  failed  in  every  attempt  even 
to  open  a  communication  with  the  northern  army. 

Burgoyne  now  felt  that  his  affairs  had  reached  a  fatal  crisis. 
The  Americans  held  and  strongly  guarded  all  the  posts  in  the 
rear,  and  had  destroyed  the  flotilla  on  Lake  George;  while  in 
front  they  had  an  army  double  his  o'.vn  in  number,  and  in  such 
warfare  not  much  le  s  efficient.  An  attempted  movement  in 
either  direction  must  therefore  be  follow(.'d  bv  a  series  of  in- 
cessant  and  harassing:  attacks,  destroying  his  arjny  in  detail. 
A  council  of  war  was  called,  and  the  conclusion  formed,  that 
no  option  was  left  but  the  deeply  afflicting  one  of  opening  a 
neixotiation  for  surrender.  Gates's  first  demand  was,  that  the 
whole  force  should  ground  their  arms  and  become  prisoners  of 
war;  but  the  general,  with  all  his  officers,  agreed  in  the  deter- 
mination to  brave  every  extremity  rather  than  submit  to  such 
term  ,.  Gates,  a  prudent  man,  feeling  the  importance  of  time, 
agreocl,  after  some  discussion,  to  grant  the  honours  of  war,  and 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


the 


277 


OEKKRiLL  BURCIOTXB. 


,11(1 


a  free  passage  to  Britain,  on  condition  of  their  not  serving 
again  in  North  America  during  the  present  contest. 

As  Congress  received  no  intimation  that  the  British  govern- 
ment sanctioned  the  proceedings  of  this  convention,  the  cap- 
tured army  was  not  allowed  to  leave  the  country.  Burgoyne, 
when  coHi plaining  of  the  treatment  which  his  men  experienced 
at  Boston,  used  the  rash  expression,  that  he  considered  the 
convention  as  thereby  violated ;  whence  it  was  inferred,  that  on 
returning  home,  he  would  represent  his  government  as  absolved 
from  the  engagement  against  their  serving  in  America.  The 
American  authorities  demanded  lists  of  the  men's  names,  which 
seems  not  very  unreasonable,  but  was  considered  by  Burgoyne 
as  an  impeachment  on  British  honour. 

This  intelligence  arrived  in  England  November,  1777,  while 
parliament  were  sitting ;  atid  the  effect  may  be  easily  conceived. 
The  opposition,  justifying  the  conduct  of  the  commanders, 
threw  the  whole  blame  upon  ministers.  Chatham  declared  the 
expedition  a  most  wild,  uncorabined,  mad  project  :  nnd  Fox 
said  that  ten  thousand  men  had  been  destroyed  by  the  wilful 
Ignorance  and  incapacity  of  Lord  Germaine.  Ministers,  on  the 
other  hand,  contended  that  everything  depending  upon  them 
had  been  done ;  large  armies  had  been  sent,  and  most  amply 
36 


21f' 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


LOBD  NORTH. 


\ 


supplied ;  and,  before  being  condemned,  they  were  entitled  at 
least  to  a  full  iilquiry.  Lord  North  protested,  as  on  former 
i»«'.caslons,  his  willingness  to  lay  down  oifice  if  he  could  thereby 
liope  to  restore  peace ;  but  seeing  no  prospect  of  this,  he  con- 
sidered himself  bound  to  remain  at  the  helm.  Lord  Chatham 
had  moved  for  a  cessation  of  hostilities,  which  was  negatived ; 
but  committees  were  named  in  each  house  for  an  inquiry  into 
the  state  of  the  nation,  the  result  of  which  was  to  be  taken 
into  consideration  in  the  beginning  of  February,  1778.  Minis- 
ters proposed  and  carried,  though  with  considerable  opposition, 
an  adjournment  till  the  20th  of  January.  The  warlike  spirit 
of  the  nation  had  been  gradually  subsiding  in  consequence  of 
the  lengthened  contest,  and  the  little  prospect  of  any  decisive 
success ;  so  that  the  first  accounts  of  Burgoyne's  catastrophe 
produced  deep  despondence,  and  a  general  call  for  peace.  In 
the  course  of  the  recess,  however,  a  very  decided  reaction  took 
place,  excited  mainly,  we  imagine,  by  the  prevailing  belief,  that 
France  was  about  to  join  America ;  fc "  David  Hartley  warned 
his  friond,  Dr.  Franklin,  that  the  En  ^lish  would  "  fight  for  a 
straw  with  their  last  shilling  and  their  last  man,"  rather  than 
be  dictated  to  by  that  power.     Manchester,  Liverpool,  Edin- 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


279 


burgh,  and  Glasgow,  came  forward  to  supply  regiments ;  six 
battalions  were  raised  in  the  Scottish  Highlands  j  eleven  com 
panics  in  Wales.  The  voluntary  levies  thus  effected  before 
the  meeting  of  parliament,  amounted  to  fifteen  thousand  men 
The  opposition  exclaimed  against  this  raising  of  troops  withou. 
consent  or  knowledge  of  parliament ;  but  ministers  had  little 
dread  of  this  charge,  and  boasted  of  the  result  as  decisively  ex- 
pressing the  national  opinion  in  their  favour.  Mr.  Fox  and  the 
Duke  of  Richmond  made  motions  that  no  troops  should  be  sent 
out  of  the  kingdom,  which  were  negatived,  but  not  by  the  usual 
large  majorities ;  the  former  only  by  two  hundred  and  fifty-nine 
to  one  hundred  and  sixty-five;  the  last  by  ninety-one  to 
thirty-four. 

Soon  after  the  meeting  of  parliament,  however.  Lord  North 
brought  forward  a  most  extensive  scheme  of  conciliation,  em- 
bracing indeed  every  demand  which  had  originally  been  made 
by  the  colonists.  The  right  of  taxation  without  their  own 
consent  was  to  be  renounced ;  the  violated  constitutions  were 
to  be  restored;  every  act  since  1763  was  to  be  abrogated,  ex- 
cepting such  as  were  manifestly  beneficial  to  the  colonies. 
The  intentions  of  ministers  had,  he  said,  been  misunderstood; 
these  were  the  measures  they  had  waited  to  announce  in  a 
hoped-for  moment  of  decisive  success,  but  having  been  disap- 
pointed, there  seemed  no  longer  any  room  for  delay.  This 
proposal  met  with  no  serious  opposition,  though  among  the 
supporters  of  the  war  there  were  considerable  murmurs  at  the 
renunciation  of  all  its  objects ;  while  among  its  opponents,  a 
serious  schism  was  soon  perceptible. 

"We  must  now  look  to  the  continent  of  Europe,  where 
measures  of  the  deepest  importance  had  been  secretly  in  agita- 
tion. Congress  for  some  time  made  a  boast  of  rigorously  ab- 
staining from  any  attempt  to  seek  support  by  foreign  alliances, 
when  they  might  have  done  so  with  every  prospect  of  success. 
France  and  Spain,  it  was  well  known,  deeply  humbled  by  the 
result  of  the  war  ended  in  1763,  and  the  extensive  territories 
then  wrested  from  them,  were  anxiously  watching  an  oppor- 
tunity to  retrieve  and  avenge  these  losses.  The  latter  power, 
indeed,  might  dread  lest  the  same  spirit  should  spread  to  her 
own  settlements ;  but  France  upon  this  head  had  much  less  to 


,     I 


280 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


fear.  In  the  spring  of  1776,  all  the  leading  men  in  the  colonies, 
having  fixed  their  minds  upon  independence,  became  di8p(»-Med 
to  avail  themselves  of  the  advantages  of  foreign  tre;i,tie8. 
Franklin  indeed  states,  as  his  first  opinion,  that  Americu,  "  as 
a  virgin  state,  should  not  go  about  suitoring  ulliances,"'  but 
rather  wait  till  she  was  courted ;  but  he  was  overruled,  and 
ultimately  became  the  most  active  agent.  On  the  29th  of 
November,  1775,  a  committee  had  been  appointed  to  open  a 
correspondence  with  the  friends  of  America  in  Europe.  The 
first  person  employed  was  Silas  Deane,  a  member  of  Congress, 
who  was  instructed  to  visit  Europe  in  the  character  of  a  mer- 
chant, and  endeavour  to  open  private  channels,  by  which  the 
cabinets  might  aid  America,  without  openly  committing  them- 
selves. He  arrived  about  the  Ist  of  July,  1776,  and  found  the 
French  court  well  disposed  to  favour  his  views.  Turgot,  a 
minister  friendly  to  peace,  had  been  replaced  by  Vergennes, 
who  eagerly  aspired  to  regain  for  France  the  ground  lost  in  the 
late  contest.  A  great  dread,  however,  being  felt  lest  the  power 
and  perseverance  of  America  should  fail,  and  France  be  left  alone 
to  maintain  an  unequal  contest,  the  minister  intimated  that  aid 
could  not  be  openly  given,  but  that  no  obstruction  would  be 
opposed  to  the  shipment  of  warlike  stores  and  supplies ;  if  f.ny 
occurred,  it  need  only  be  stated  to  be  speedily  removed. 

As  soon  as  the  declaration  of  independence  had  been  f\illy 
matured.  Congress  applied  itself  openly  and  with  increased 
vigour  to  the  object  oi"  foreign  alliances.  On  the  11th  of  June, 
a  committee  was  appointed  to  prepare  a  plan,  which  was  not 
however  matured  and  approved  till  the  17th  of  September, 
when  Dr.  Franklin,  Mr.  Deane,  and  Mr.  Lee,  were  appointed 
commissioners  to  proceed  to  France.  The  former,  from  his 
weight  of  character,  sound  judgment,  and  address,  had  almost 
the  entire  direction.  On  reaching  Paris,  however,  in  December, 
1776,  he  found  the  cabinet  by  no  means  prepared  openly  to 
espouse  the  cause  of  the  states,  or  even  to  acknowledge  their 
independence.  Friendly  professions  were  made,  and  a  con- 
tinuance of  private  succours  promised ;  but  there  was  an  evident 
determination  against  proceeding  farther  till  it  should  appear 
whether  they  could  resist  the  shock  of  the  British  armies,  the 
pressure  of  which  was  then  so  severe.     The  disasters  of  the 


I 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


28] 


as 


i 


campaign  increased  the  anxiety  of  Congroi^H  upon  the  Bubject 
They  sent  comiiiissioners  to  the  oourtH  oi'  Vienna,  Spain,  Prus 
sia,  and  Tuscany;  and  in  order  to  induce  France  to  declare 
openly  in  their  favour,  offered  large  privileges  for  commerce 
and  fishery,  and  even  the  posstwMion  of  such  West  India  islimds 
as  might  Ui  captured  during  the  war.     Hut  the  same  distn-ssoa 
which  impelled  to  these  ovcrtuteM,  miulo  the  court  cautious  of 
accepting  them,  and  continue  to  waU'h  the  train  of  events.   The 
campaign  of  1777,  notwitlmtandiiig  its  misfortunes,  was  con- 
sidered to  afford  prospects  of  nuikiiig  a  pennanent  stand;  but 
the  French  counsels  evidently  vatM Hated  with  every  intelligence 
and  even  rejtort  which  anivcd  from  America.    No  change  took 
place  till  the  arrival,  enrly  in   Dci-emlier,  of  the  momentous 
tidings  of  Burgoyne's  surrender,  wiiicii  at  once  gave  a  decisive 
turn  to  the  views  of  the  cabinet.     On  the  lOth,  M.  Gerard  in- 
timated to  the  commissioners  that,  after  Icmg  deliberation,  the 
king  had  determined  to  aeknowUMJgcj  the  independence  of  the 
United  States,  and  also  to  aU'ord  them  support,  though  thereby 
involving  himself  in  an  expensive  war.   On  the  8th  of  January, 
1778,  Louis  wrote  a  letter  to  his  luiele,  the  king  of  Spain,  re- 
ferring to  Britain  as  their  common  and  inveterate  enemy. 
])uring  the  pending  contest,  ho  had  afibrded  to  the  colonies 
supplies  of  money  and  stores,  at  which  FiUgland  had  taken 
deep  umbrage,  and  would  no  doubt  seize  the  first  opportunity 
of  avenging  herself.     The  Amorientis  had  indeed  shown  that 
they  were  not  to  be  subdued,  but  Britain  might  succeed  in  her 
present  attempts  to  form  a  eloso  and  friendly  alliance  with 
them,  and  thus  turn  her  amis  undivided  ogainst  her  continental 
enemies ;   now,  therefore,  was  the  time  to  form  such  a  con- 
nexion as  might  prevent  any  reunion  between  them  and  the 
mother  country. 

In  pursuance  of  these  views,  there  was  concluded,  on  the  6th 
of  February,  a  treaty  of  commerce,  accompanied  by  one  of  de- 
fensive alliance  in  the  well  foreseen  case  of  war  being  the 
result.  The  allies  were  to  make  common  cause  with  the  states, 
and  to  maintain  their  absolute  independence.  Whatever  con- 
quests should  be  made  on  the  continent  were  to  be  secured  to 
them,  but  those  in  the  West  Indies  to  the  crown  of  France. 

The  treaty  between  France  and  America,  though  soon  gene- 

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282 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


I 

I:- 


rally  known,  was  for  some  time  studiously  concealed  from  the 
British  minister.  On  the  13th  of  March,  however,  the  French 
ambassador  at  London  delivered  a  note,  referring  to  the  United 
States  as  already  in  full  possession  of  independence,  whence  hia 
majesty  had  concluded  with  them  a  treaty  of  friendship  and 
commerce,  and  would  take  effectual  measures  to  prevent  its 
interruption.  Professions  were  made  of  the  king's  anxiety  to 
cultivate  a  good  understanding  with  Britain,  and  his  sincere 
disposition  for  peace,  of  which  it  was  ironically  said  that  new 
proofs  would  be  found  in  this  communication.  On  the  17th, 
this  document  was  laid  before  Parliament,  with  a  message  from 
the  crown,  stating  that  the  British  ambassador  had  in  conse- 
quence been  ordered  to  withdraw  from  Paris,  and  expressing 
trust  in  the  zealous  and  affectionate  support  of  the  people  for 
repelling  this  unprovoked  aggression  combined  with  insult. 
An  address  echoing  the  message  was  moved  in  both  houses ; 
but  the  opposition  reproached  ministers  with  not  having  duly 
foreseen  or  prepared  for  this  emergency ;  while  a  few  repelled 
as  now  hopeless  the  idea  of  holding  America  under  any  kind 
of  dependence.  It  was  carried,  however,  by  majorities,  in  the 
Commons  of  two  hundred  and  sixty-three  to  two  hundred  and 
thirteen;  in  the  Lords  of  sixty-eight  to  twenty-five.  The 
message  for  calling  out  the  militia  was  sanctioned  without  a 
division. 

In  Pennsylvania,  meantime,  the  two  armies  continued  view- 
ing each  other  without  any  material  warlike  movement.  The 
distress  suffered  by  Washington  at  Valley  Forge  was  extreme, 
Congress  taking  no  efficient  measures*  to  supply  the  troops  with 
clothes  or  even  provisions.  The  officers  had  to  complain,  not 
only  of  irregularity  in  receiving  their  pay,  but  of  obtaining  no 
promise  of  half-pay  at  the  end  of  the  war;  this  last,  however, 
through  the  remonstrances  of  Washington,  was  at  length 
secured.  That  great  man  was  furth(j»r  harassed  by  a  combina- 
tion formed  against  himself  and  shared  by  Gates,  whose  friends 
contrasted  his  brilliant  success  against  Burgoyne  with  the  tardy, 
and,  in  many  cases,  unsuccessful  movements  of  the  commander- 
in-chief  Their  representations  made  for  some  time  a  consider- 
able impression  upon  Congress,  and  even  the  public ;  but  as 
the  commander  took  no  notice  of  this  movement,  and  pursued 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


283 


AMERICANS  AT  VALLET  KOROE. 


the  even  and  dignified  tenor  of  his  way,  the  cloud  dispelled  of 
itself.  Although  his  force  in  spring  was  reduced  very  low, 
Howe  did  not  venture  to  attack,  but,  according  to  the  represen- 
tations formerly  made,  considered  himself  strong  enough  only 
for  partial  and  detached  expeditions,  several  of  which  were  un- 
dertaken with  success.  Not  being,  however,  supplied  with 
reinforcements  sufficient  for  any  important  enterprise,  he  felt 
his  situation  painful,  and  solicited  his  recall.  Ministers,  who 
probably  hoped  that  a  more  enterprising  commander  might 
achieve  some  decisive  successes,  granted  it,  and  named  Clinton 
his  succ^^ssor.  His  officers,  however,  manifested  their  opinion 
of  his  merits  by  a  brilliant  fete  on  the  occasion  of  his  departure. 
In  June,  the  commissioners  arrived  with  new  offers  of  con- 
ciliation. They  consisted  of  Governor  Johnstone,  Lord  Carlisle, 
and  Mr.  Eden,  gentlemen  who  had  hitherto  advocated  against 
ministers  the  cause  of  America.  The  terms  were  more  than 
had  been  originally  asked,  amounting  in  fact  to  every  degree 
of  independence  compatible  with  a  union  of  force  against  foreign 
powers,  all  alliance  with  whom  was  expected  to  be  renounced. 
Smaller  concessions  would  once  have  saved  the  colonies ;  but 
Congress  and  the  leading  men  had  now  taken  a  position  whence 
they  felt  wholly  disinclined  to  recede.  They  do  not  seem  to 
have  ever  deliberated,  merely  appointing  a  committee  to  prepare 
an  answer.  Its  tenor  was,  that  notwithstanding  all  their 
wrongs,  they  were  willing  to  conclude  a  treaty  of  peace  and 
commerce,  provided  Britain  should  begin  by  an  explicit  acknow- 


284 


THE    REVOLUTION". 


r 


If 


ms- 


CIKNKRAIi  6ATKS. 


ledgraent  of  their  independence,  or  by  withdrawing  her  fleets 
and  armies.  Indignation  was  expressed  at  the  manner  in 
which  their  great  and  good  ally,  the  king  of  France,  was  men- 
tioned, and  a  full  determination  intimated  of  adhering  to  the 
connexion.  The  commissioners  wrote  an  explanatory  paper, 
endeavouring  to  prove  that  every  object  of  real  importance  was 
included  in  their  offers ;  but  as  no  new  concession  was  made, 
it  was  determined  to  return  no  answer.  Governor  Johnstone 
had  written  letters  to  several  members  of  Congress,  in  which, 
besides  public  motives,  private  advantages  were  held  out  in  case 
of  their  aiding  the  cause  of  reconciliation.  The  receivers  laid 
them  before  Congress,  who  immediately  published  them,  with 
indignant  comments,  as  attempts  to  gain  their  object  by  bribery. 
The  commissioners,  thus  vehemently  repulsed  by  Congress, 
determined  to  appeal  to  the  particular  states  and  to  the  nation 
at  large.  A  manifesto  and  proclamation  were  drawn  up,  fully 
explaining  all  the  advantages  now  offered,  including  the  removal 
of  every  grievance  hitherto  complained  of;    reminding  the 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


285 


people  that  to  these  overtures  Congress  had  refused  even  to 
listen,  and  asking  if  they  were  prepared  to  carry  on  a  ruinous 
war,  with  no  object  but  to  throw  themselves  into  the  arms  of  a 
foreign  power,  so  long  their  inveterate  enemy.  It  was  in- 
judiciously added,  that  in  such  case  warlike  measures  would 
be  carried  on  with  increased  severity,  so  that  if  the  country 
was  to  belong  to  France,  its  value  might  be  diminished.  Con- 
gress published  this  paper  themselves,  counteracted  by  ample 
comments. 

Fearful  for  the  safety  of  their  army,  the  British  ministers  had 
sent  orders  to  Howe  to  evacuate  the  city  of  Philadelphia  and 
the  river  Delaware,  without  delay,  lest  the  French  fleet,  which  it 
was  presumed  would  sail  for  America  in  the  spring,  might 
entrap  him,  and  cause  the  loss  of  both  fleet  and  army. 

Accordingly,  the  royal  army  crossed  the  Delaware  into  New 
Jersey,  on  the  18  th  of  June.  Washington  had  previously  de- 
tached Maxwell's  brigade  to  aid  the  Jersey  militia  in  checking 
their  march,  whilst  he  should  fall  on  their  rear  himself  with 
the  main  body.  The  Americans  crossed  the  Delaware  in  pur- 
suit of  the  British,  while  six  hundred  men  were  detached  under 
Morgan,  to  reinforce  Maxwell.  The  British  marched  to  Allen- 
town,  and  there  chose  the  road  to  Sandy  Hook,  to  avoid  crossing 
the  Raritan,  which  they  must  have  done,  if  they  had  marched 
direct  to  Amboy.  They  encamped  on  the  27th  of  June,  near 
Freehold  Courthouse,  in  Monmouth  county.  Washington  sent 
General  Wayne,  with  one  thousand  men,  to  reinforce  the  troops 
alreddy  on  their  lines.  Lafayette  was  sent  to  command  this 
division,  which  amounted  to  four  thousand  men,  and  Lee  soon 
after  joined  them,  with  two  additional  brigades,  and  took 
charge  of  the  whole.  Morgan  hovered  on  the  right  flank  of  the 
British,  with  his  corps,  and  Dickinson  was  on  the  left,  with 
eight  hundred  Jersey  militia.  Washington  was  three  miles  in 
the  rear,  with  the  main  body.  He  determined  to  make  an. 
attack  upon  the  British  before  they  should  reach  the  strong 
grounds  about  Middletown.  Lee  was  ordered  to  maintain  his 
dispositions  for  an  attack,  and  to  keep  his  troops  constantly  on 
their  arms,  so  as  to  take  advantage  of  the  first  movement  of  the 
enemy.  Knyphausen  led  the  van,  with  the  baggage ;  and  the 
best  troops  were  placed  in  the  rear,  under  Comwallis. ..:.,. 
36  2a2 


286 


THfe  REVOLUTION. 


OKNEBAL  IfOBOAJI* 


At  break  of  day,  on  the  28th  of  June,  the  royal  army  began 
their  march ;  but  the  rear  waited  until  eight  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  Lee  followed  them  into  the  plains ;  Clinton  turned 
with  his  whole  rear-division,  to  attack  the  Americans,  and  Lee 
began  the  engagement.  Owing  to  some  misunderstanding, 
part  of  the  American  forces  began  to  retreat,  and  the  rest  soon 
followed  in  great  disorder.  Washington  now  came  up,  with 
the  main  body,  and  to  his  great  astonishment  and  mortification, 
met  the  advanced  division  in  full  retreat,  Lee  intending  to 
renew  the  battle  on  higher  ground.  Washington  rode  forward 
and  addressed  General  Lee  in  warm  terms  of  disapprobation ; 
yet  his  indignation  could  not  got  the  better  of  his  self-com- 
mand; and  he  immediately  set  himself  to  repair  the  error 
which  had  been  committed.  He  ordered  Lee  to  arrest  the 
progress  of  the  flying  soldiers,  whilst  he  brought  up  the  main 
body  to  their  assistance.  Lee  executed  his  orders  with  his 
characteristic  courage  and  skill.    A  sharp  conflict  ensued,  the 


; 


i' 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


2bV 


gan 
the 
ned 
Lee 
ing, 
loon 
nth 
ion, 
;  to 
ard 
on; 
om- 
rror 
the 
lain 
his 
the 


Americans  were  compelled  to  retreat,  and  wore  this  time 
brought  oflf  b}'  Lee  in  good  order.  The  British  advanced,  and 
attacked  tbo  eocond  line  of  the  Americans,  which  was  strongly 
posted  and  made  such  a  vigorous  resistance,  that  tho  onomy 
were  compelled  to  give  way ;  and  at  night  Clinton  withdrew 
his  troops  to  a  good  position,  where  he  remained  till  midnight, 
when  he  resumed  his  march,  carrying  most  of  his  woundtid 
along  with  him. 

The  Americans  lost,  in  this  battle,  sixty-nine  killed,  and  one 
hundred  and  forty  wounded,  whilst  the  British,  after  burying 
some  of  their  dead  in  the  night,  left  on  the  field  of  battle,  two 
hundred  and  fort^-seven  killed,  who  were  buried  by  the  Ame- 
ricans. They  loft  forty-four  wounded,  and  took  many  others 
with  them.  Clinton  continued  his  retreat  unmolested,  owing 
to  the  bad  state  of  the  roads ;  but  on  his  march  through  Jersey, 
a  laigc  number  of  his  men,  who  had  married  in  Phihulelphitt, 
deserted,  and  returned  to  that  city.  The  British  lost  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Monckton,  and  the  Americans,  Lieutenant- 
Tic  lonel  Bonner  and  Major  Dickenson,  all  able  officers,  Wash- 
ington moved  towards  the  Hudson,  and  D'Estoing  sailed  up  the 
Delaware  with  twelve  ships  of  the  line  and  three  frigates,  not 
ten  days  after  Howe  had  quitted  it ;  when,  finding  his  enemy 
gone,  he  sailed  for  New  York,  and  blockaded  the  British  fleet 
in  the  harbour. 

After  the  battle  some  embittered  correspondence  passed 
between  Lee  and  Wasliington.  Lee  was  thereupon  brought 
before  a  court-martial,  charged  with  having  made  a  disorderly 
retreat,  and  shown  disrespect  to  his  commander,  He  was  found 
guilty,  and  suspended  from  all  command  for  a  year,  and  in  fact 
never  again  joined  the  army. 

No  sooner  had  France  openly  declared  in  favour  of  the 
States,  than  she  fitted  out  and  sent  to  their  aid  a  fleet  of  twelve 
Bail  of  the  line,  under  Count  D'Estaing;  while  Britain  des- 
patched Commodore  Byron  with  one  of  equal  strength.  Both 
were  delayed  by  contrary  winds,  and  though  the  French  ad- 
miral arrived  first,  he  did  not  reach  the  Chesapeake  till  the 
British  fleet  and  army  had  passed  on  the  way  to  New  l^ork. 
Thither  he  followed,  and  reconnoitred  the  entrance  of  the 
harbour;   but  Lord  Howe,  though  with  only  half  his  force, 


288 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


r- 
I' 

I! 


made  such  judicious  dispositions,  that  D'Estaing  judged  it  im- 
prudent to  attack.  He  was  next  invited  to  assist  in  operations 
agf  Inst  Rhode  Island,  still  held  by  a  considerable  English  force. 
General  Sullivan,  on  the  land  side,  was  reinforced  by  New 
England  militia,  and  by  a  detachment  from  the  main  army, 
under  Lafayette,  making  in  all  ten  thousand  men.  Howe 
hesitated  not  to  approach ;  but  a  violent  storm  prevented  the 
fleets  from  engaging,  and  allowed  only  a  few  conflicts  between 
single  ships,  in  which  the  British  had  the  advantage.  D'Estaing 
complained  that  his  squadron  was  thus  so  severely  shattered, 
as  rendered  it  necessary  to  go  and  refit  at  Boston ;  which  he 
did,  without  regard  to  the  warmest  remonstrances  from  Greene 
and  Lafayette.  Sullivan  was  thus  left  in  a  critical  situation ; 
a  force  came  hastily  from  New  York,  sufficient  to  overwhelm 
him,  and  he  was  considered  to  have  great  merit  in  effecting  a 
precipitate  retreat,  with  only  the  dispersion  of  a  part  of  his 
army.  Byron  soon  after  arrived,  and  reinforced  Howe,  when 
both  fleets  were  placed  under  Admiral  Gambler;  and  the 
English  became  completely  superior  at  sea.  The  American 
press  raised  loud  murmurs  at  the  inefficient  support  afforded  by 
their  powerful  ally,  from  whom  so  much  had  been  expected. 
This  was  an  additional  trouble  to  Washington,  who  dreaded 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


289 


' 


umbrago  between  the  two  nations,  and  made  apologies  to  the 
French  officers  for  the  rash  language  of  his  countrymen.       ■  » 

He  did  not  attempt  any  further  oflFensive  movements  this 
campaign ;  and  Clinton  took  occasion  to  attack  some  of  the 
principal  privateering  stations.  On  Acuskne't  River,  in  Buz- 
zard's Bay,  General  Grey  destroyed  seventy  sail  of  ships,  and 
numerous  store-houses ;  and  from  the  island  named  Martha's 
Vineyard  a  large  supply  of  sheep  and  cattle  was  drawn.  At  a 
noted  rendezvous,  however,  named  Egi.  Point,  the  success  was 
imperfect,  a  great  part  of  the  shipping  having  escaped.  On 
these  occasions,  plunder  and  outrage  seem  to  have  been  prac- 
ticed to  an  unjustifiable  extent  against  known  privateers.  The 
Americans,  through  the  report  of  the  French  alliance,  had  ob- 
tained the  evacuation  of  Philadelphia;  but  in  every  other 
respect  their  hopes  of  this  campaign  had  not  been  fulfilled. 
New  hopes  were  excited,  however,  by  the  arrival,  at  Phila- 
delphia, of  the  French  ambassador,  Gerard,  a  highly  respected 
individual,  by  whose  agency,  chiefly,  the  treaty  had  been  con- 
sluded. 

In  the  course  of  this  summer,  the  western  country  had  been 
the  scene  of  most  distressing  events;  the  feuds  between  the  in- 


290 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


RUINS  or  WTOMINa. 


dependents  and  loyalists  having  raged  with  peculiar  violence  m 
this  wild  region.  The  latter  complained,  probably  not  without 
reason,  that  the  rigorous  laws  enacted  against  them  were  en- 
forced with  severe  aggravations,  and  many  sought  an  asylum 
beyond  the  limits  of  the  colonies.  There  they  found  them- 
selves among  the  Indians,  a  race  always  bitterly  hostile  to  the 
white  borderers,  and  easily  excited  to  the  most  daring  enter- 
prises. Unhappily,  the  passions  of  the  refugees  were  worked 
up  to  such  violence,  that  instead  of  urging  a  milder  mode  of 
warfare,  they  stimulated  these  allies  to  deeds  of  more  than 
their  wonted  barbarity. 

The  flourishing  cettlement  of  "Wyoming,  upon  the  Upper  Sus- 
quehanna, was  suddenly  attacked  by  about  1600  tories  and 
Indians,  under  Colonel  John  Butler  and  Brandt.  The  militia, 
under  Colonel  Zebuloa  Butler,  was  completely  defeated ;  th 
forts  captured,  and  the  beautiful  valley  treated  with  all  the 
horrors  of  savage  devastation.  The  settlement  at  Cheri^ 
Valley,  in  New  York,  was  also  attacked,  but  the  tories  ana 
savages  were  repulsed,  after  they  had  killed  and  captured  a 
number  of  the  inhabitants,  and  destroyed  their  dwellings. 
(October  1778.)  From  the  lateness  of  the  season,  only  a  few 
partial  attempts  could  be  made  to  retaliate.  Next  spring,  how- 
ever. General  Sullivan  was  despatched  with  four  thousand  men, 
and  joined  by  General  Clinton  with  another  division  from  the 
Mohawk  river.  They  entered  the  territory  of  the  Indians, 
who,  quite  unable  to  resist  so  large  a  force,  abandoned  their 
homes  and  fled  before  them.    The  villages  were  then  reduced 


to  ashes,  every  trace  of  cultivation  obliterated,  and  the  region 
rendered  as  much  ns  possible  uninhabitable.  This  rigour  is  said 
to  have  beou  authorized  by  Washington,  and  justified  on  the 
ground,  that  without  interposing  a  desert  between  the  States 
and  this  savage  race,  no  security  could  be  enjoyed  on  the 
frontier. 

An  expedition  which  was  to  have  taken  place  under  Henry 
Hamilton,  lieutenant-governor  of  Detroit,  fortunately  for  the 
Virginia  back  settlers,  against  whom  it  was  principally  directed, 
fell  through,  in  consequence  of  the  spirited  conduct  of  Colonel 
Clarke.  The  object  of  the  expedition  was  extensive,  and  many 
Indians  were  engaged  in  it.  Hamilton  took  post  at  St.  Vin- 
ccnnes,  in  the  winter,  to  have  all  things  in  readiness,  for 
invading  the  American  settlements,  as  soon  as  the  season  of  the 
year  would  permit.  Clarke,  on  hearing  that  Hamilton  had 
weakened  himself,  by  sending  away  a  considerable  part  of  his 
Indians,  against  the  frontier  settlers,  formed  the  resolution  of 
attacking  him,  as  the  best  expedient  for  preventing  the 
mischiefs  which  were  designed  against  his  country.  After 
.surmounting  many  difficulties,  he  arrived  with  130  men,  un- 
expectedly, at  St.  Vincennes. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  town  immediately  surrendered  on  the 
23d  February,  1779,  to  the  Americans;  and  assisted  them  in 
taking  the  fort.  The  next  day,  Hamilton,  with  the  garrison, 
were  made  prisoners  of  war,  on  articles  of  capitulation.  Clarke, 
on  hearing  that  a  convoy  of  British  goods  and  provisions  was 
on  its  way  from  Detroit,  detached  a  party  of  sixty  men,  which 
met  them,  and  made  prize  of  the  whole.  By  this  well-con- 
duoted  and  spirited  attack  on  Hamilton,  his  intended  expedition 
was  nipped  in  the  bud.  Colonel  Clarke  transmitted  to  the 
Council  of  Virginia,  letters  and  papers,  relating  to  Lieutenant- 
(Grovernor  Hamilton,  Philip  de  Jean,  justice  of  peace  for  Detroit, 
and  William  Lamothe,  captain  of  volunteers,  whom  he  had 
made  prisoners.  The  board  reported,  that  Hamilton  had  in- 
cited the  Indians  to  perpetrate  their  accustomed  cruelties,  on 
the  defenceless  inhabitants  of  the  United  States ;  had  sent  con- 
siderable detachments  of  Indians  against  the  frontiers;  had 
appointed  a  great  council  of  them,  to  meet  him  and  concert  the 
operations  of  the  ensuing  campaign ;  had  given  standing  rewards 


202 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


(i  ! 


for  scnlps ;  and  hud  treated  American  prisoners  with  cruelty. 
They  also  reported,  that  De  Jean  was  the  willing  and  cordial 
instrument  of  Hamilton ;  and  that  Lamothe  was  captain  of  the 
voluntcor  Hcalping  parties  of  Indians  and  tories,  who  went  out, 
from  time  to  time,  under  general  orders  to  spare  neither  men, 
women,  nor  children.  They  therefore,  considering  them  as  fit 
objects,  on  whom  to  begin  the  work  of  retaliation,  advised  the 
governor  to  put  them  in  irons ;  confine  them  in  the  dungeon 
of  the  public  jail ;  debar  them  the  use  of  pen,  ink,  and  paper ; 
and  exclude  them  from  all  converse,  except  with  their  keeper. 

Colonel  Goose  Van  Shaick,  with  fifty-five  men,  marched 
from  Fort  Schuyler  to  the  Onondago  settlements,  and  on  the 
19th  of  April  burned  the  whole,  consisting  of  obout  fifty 
houses,  together  with  a  large  quantity  of  provisions.  Horses, 
and  stock  of  every  kind,  were  killed.  The  arms  and  ammuni- 
tion of  the  Indians  were  either  destroyed  or  brought  off,  and 
their  settlements  were  laid  waste.  Twelve  Indians  were  killed, 
and  thirty-four  made  prisoners.  This  expedition  was  performed 
in  less  than  six  days,  and  without  the  loss  of  a  single  man. 
Another  expedition  under  General  Broadhead  was  equally  suc- 
cessful. 

The  attention  of  Congress  and  of  the  commander  was  now 
called  to  plans  for  the  campaign  of  1779.  The  former,  looking 
to  their  previous  successes,  and  the  powerful  co-operation  of 
France,  cherished  the  most  brilliant  expectations,  and  had 
formed  schemes  truly  magnificent.  Concluding  that  the  Eng- 
lish would  be  speedily  expelled,  or  would  of  their  own  accord 
depart  from  America,  the  chief  object  was  to  be  the  invasion 
of  Canada,  from  three  different  points,  the  French  being  invited 
to  co-operate.  Washington,  on  learning  this  vast  design,  took 
the  utmost  pains  to  prove  its  futility.  He  disclosed  to  them 
the  painful  truths,  that  the  English  were  still  so  powerful  both 
by  land  and  sea,  as  to  afford  no  speedy  prospect  of  their  com- 
plete expulsion ;  while  the  exhausted  state  of  the  finances,  the 
imperfect  organization  of  the  army,  and  the  extreme  destitution 
under  which  it  laboured,  furnished  no  means  whatever  for 
carrying  on  such  mighty  operations.  A  committee  of  Congress, 
on  further  consideration,  recommended  that  the  project  should 
be  deferred ;  yet  the  members  still  clung  to  it,  fondly  contem- 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


203 


plating  its  execution  some  time  before  the  Heason  closed,  and 
wishing  communications  to  be  opened  on  that  subject  with  the 
French  court.  The  general,  considering  the  project,  even  thus 
modified,  as  still  quite  inadmissibli',  repaired  to  Philadelphia, 
where  he  urged  strongly  all  his  former  arguments,  and  con- 
fidentially pointed  out  to  the  leading  statesmen  the  danger  of 
admitting  France  into  o  country  where  she  had  so  long  ruled, 
and  whose  people  bore  still  decided  traces  of  her  relationship. 
It  appears,  indeed,  that,  probably  from  the  dread  of  embarrass- 
ment in  some  future  negotiation,  that  power  by  no  means 
favoured  schemes  of  American  conquest.  Washington  at  lost 
succeeded  in  convincing  Congress,  that  instead  of  these  grand 
measures  of  invasion,  they  must  limit  themselves,  during  the 
present  campaign,  to  a  course  strictly  defensive. 

In  fact,  both  the  civil  and  military  strength  of  the  Union 
was  now  at  a  lower  ebb  than  at  any  time  since  the  struggle- 
commenced.  The  members  of  Congress  had  originally  consisted' 
of  the  ablest  men  in  America,  animated  by  the  most  ardent  zeal, 
and  implicitly  obeyed  by  all  the  votaries  of  their  cause.    After 
the  declaration  of  independence,  however,  a  new  modification 
of  the  government  was  considered  necessary.     A  constitution 
was  drawn  up,  and,  after  many  delays  and  difficulties,,  brought 
into  operation,  early  in  1779,  under  which  the  state  legislatures 
were  invested  with  all  the  most  important  powers,  resigning 
only  a  few  which  were  judged  indispensable  for  united  action. 
Congress  still  retained  the  direction  of  foreign  affairs,  of  the 
war,  and  consequently  of  the  naval  and  military  force;  but  to 
furnish  men  and  supplies  for  these  services  they  had  no  re 
source,  except  requisitions  addressed  to;  the  state  legislatures. 
The  latter  had  the  complete  options  whether  they  should  or 
should  not  comply,  and  had  many  motives  which  strongly  in 
clined  them  to  the  latter  alternative ;  indeed  compliance  could  i 
only  be  afforded  by  measures  very  unpopular,  and  which  would  i 
have  nmch  disoblig*»d  their  constituents.    The  demands  of  Con*- 
gress  were  thus  oniy  partially  and  unequally  fulfilled,  and  tho- 
levies  never  approached  the  amount  at  which  they  were  no*- 
minally  fixed. 

The  financial  state  of  the  country,  too,  was  embarrassing  iii^ 
the  extreme.    The  colonists,  at  the  beginning  of  the  war,  had' 
37  2B 


291 


tUf    RESOLUTION. 


SPf'.ClMKN    OF  COSTINKNTAL  BILtS. 


been  very  little  accustomed  to  any  serious  taxation ;  and 
having  taken  arms  expressly  to  resist  it,  would  have  ill  brooked 
paying  a  larger  iimount  for  their  expenses  than  Britain  Imd 
ever  demanded.  It  was  not  till  November,  1777,  that  Congress 
ventured  to  make  a  requisition  of  five  millions  of  dollars  an- 
nually, to  which  the  states  but  faintly  responded.  France  and 
Spain  gave  some  assistance,  first  in  gift,  and  then  in  loan ;  but 
as  their  own  finances  grew  embarrr  jsed,  these  contributions 
became  very  stiiited.  The  commissioners  endeavoured  to  treat 
for  loans  with  European  capitalists,  especially  in  Holland,  and 
with  this  view  drew  a  flattering  picture  of  the  future  prosperity 
of  the  new  republic,  and  her  ultimate  power  to  repay  even  the 
largest  advances ;  but  the  Dutch  were  not  inclined  to  be  satis- 
fied with  such  security,  and  mone}^  could  be  got  only  in  ifjmall 
amount,  and  on  exorbitant  terms.  One  house  made  a  some- 
what liberal  offer,  but  on  condition  of  carr;y  iug  on  the  whole 
trade  of  the  Union,  and  holding  all  its  real  and  personal  pro- 
perty in  mortgage.  In  these  circumstances,  the  States  had  no 
resource  except  paper-money.  In  1775,  they  issued  three 
millions  of  dollars ;  and  this  moderate  amount  being  easily 
absorbed  in  the  circulation,  proved  an  available  resource. 
They  were  thus  encouraged  to  pour  forth  repeated  issues,  which 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


296 


nt  the  beginning  of  1779  had  risen  to  above  a  hundred  milliona, 
and  in  the  course  of  the  year  to  double  that  amount,  which 
they  had  pledged  themselves  not  to  exceed.  The  necessary 
consequence  was  a  depreciation  of  the  notes  to  about  a  fortieth 
of  their  nominal  value,  and  hence  a  miserable  derangement  in 
all  mercantile  and  money  transactions.  The  evil  was  ag- 
gravated, too,  by  preposterous  remedies.  The  paper  at  its  no- 
minal value  was  made  a  legal  tender  for  all  debts ;  and  by  this 
iniquitous  measure,  which  Washington  deeply  regretted,  iriiiny 
creditors,  both  public  and  private,  were  defrauded,  but  no  per- 
manent relief  could  be  afforded.  As  the  articles  furnisliod  to 
the  army,  like  all  others,  rose  to  an  enormous  nominal  value, 
they  were  so  impolitic  as  to  fix  a  maximum,  above  which  they 
should  not  be  received.  The  consequence  was,  that  at  this 
inadequate  rate  none  could  be  got ;  and  the  army  would  have 
perished  had  not  this  regulation  been  rescinded. 

In  Europe,  however,  a  transaction  took  place  highly  ausoi- 
cious  to  the  American  cause.  Spain,  after  long  hesitation, 
determined  to  join  the  confederacy,  and  on  the  12th  of  April, 
1779,  concluded  for  that  purpose  a  secret  treaty  with  France. 
She  had  for  some  time  offered  and  even  pressed  herself  as  a 
mediator,  having  ultimately  proposed  a  congress  of  all  the  con- 
tending powers  at  Madrid,  and,  during  the  negotiation,  a  general 
suspension  of  arms;  but  as  it  wb  made  a  condition  that  in  the 
mean  time  the  colonies  were  to  remain  actually  independent, 
Britain,  though  without  expressing  any  hostile  feeling,  declared 
such  terms  inadmissible.  The  other  party,  however,  was  not 
disposed  to  stop  here.  On  the  16th  of  June,  D'Almadovar, 
the  Spanish  ambassador,  took  his  departure,  after  delivering 
a  note,  complaining  not  only  of  the  rejection  of  his  sovereign's 
IViendly  overtures,  but  of  sundry  violences  committed  on  his 
subjects  in  the  course  of  the  war,  and  for  which  he  was  deter- 
mmed  to  seek  redress.  This  was  followed  by  a  long  manifesto, 
in  which  grievances  were  enumerated  to  the  number  of 
eighty-six,  and  the  necessity  stated  of  reducing  the  British 
maritime  power.  These  documents  were  soon  answered  by 
letters  of  marque,  followed  by  open  war.  The  American  patriots 
felt  considerable  exultation,  imagining  that  Britain  would 
never  be  able  to  cope  with  a  union  of  so  many  powers.     Shf 


II 


m 


296 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


MS 


roused  hr;rself,  however,  mightily  to  resist  this  new  aggression ; 
voluntary  aids  were  poured  in  both  by  individuals  and  public 
bodies ;  and  she  showed  herself  able,  not  only  to  contend  with 
the  united  navies  of  the  Bourbons,  but  even  to  threaten  again 
the  independence  of  the  American  States. 

Their  interior  strength,  as  already  observed,  by  no  means 
corresponded  with  the  splendour  of  their  foreign  relations ;  and 
Washington  had  clearly  demonstrated  to  Congress  the  ex- 
pediency of  confining  themselves  to  a  defensive  warfare.  Clin- 
ton, on  the  other  hand,  did  not  attempt  to  penetrate  far  into 
the  interior  from  New  York ;  but  engaged  in  some  extensive 
expeditions  for  the  destruction  of  stores  and  shipping.  The 
most  important  was  undertaken  in  May,  by  a  squadron  under 
Sir  George  Collier,  upon  whom  the  command  of  the  naval  force 
had  now  devolved,  and  having  on  board  eighteen  hundred  men 
commanded  by  General  Matthews.  The  object  was  the  naval 
yard  at  Gosport  on  the  Chesapeake,  with  the  military  stores 
and  shipping  at  Portsmouth  and  Norfolk,  the  two  chief  seats 
of  commerce  in  Virginia.  The  only  defence  was  a  fort  with 
one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  on  Elizabeth  river  near  Ports- 
mouth ;  and  this  garrison,  considering  themselves  too  weak  to 
resist,  fled  into  a  morass  called  the  Dismal  Swamp.  The 
British  took  up  their  head-quarters  there ;  and  in  the  course 
of  a  few  days  made  a  complete  sweep  of  everything  that  was  to 
be  found  on  this  range  of  coast,  destroying  or  taking  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-seven  vessels,  and  other  property  valued  at 
half  a  million  sterling.  Clinton,  however,  did  not  divide  his 
army  by  any  permanent  establishment. 

Immediately  on  their  return  to  New  York,  the  fleet  and  army 
were  employed  in  an  expedition  on  the  Hudson.  King's  Ferry, 
about  sixty  miles  up,  and  near  the  entrance  of  the  Highlands, 
formed  the  most  convenient  communication  across  the  river  for 
Washington's  army,  whose  wings  occupied  both  banks.  It  was 
defended  by  two  opposite  forts.  Stony  Point  and  Verplank's 
Point,  which  were  both  attacked.  The  first,  being  unfinished, 
was  at  once  evacuated ;  and  the  garrison  of  the  other,  after  a 
vain  attempt  at  resistance,  was  obliged  to  surrender.  Clinton 
caused  the  two  places  to  be  put  in  a  state  of  defence ;  but 
operations  were  not  pushed  farther  in  this  direction. 


• 


THE   REVOLUTION. 


297 


pctham's  kicapb. 


The  next  enterprise  was  against  the  coast  of  Connecticut, 
which  had  been  a  very  extensive  and  successful  theatre  of  pri- 
vateering operations ;  and  on  the  3d  of  July,  two  thousand  six 
hundred  men  sailed  under  Sir  George  Collier  and  General 
Tryon,  governor  of  New  York.  New  Haven  was  soon  captured, 
the  militia  making  a  vain  attempt  to  resist.  There  is  stated 
to  have  been  an  intention  to  burn  the  town,  which  wjis  laud- 
ably changed  into  the  mere  seizure  of  the  stores  and  vessels. 
At  Fairfield  and  Norwalk,  a  greater  resistance  was  encountered ; 
and  both  these  places  were  nearly  reduced  to  ashes.  In  apology 
it  is  said,  that  the  people  had  fired  from  the  windows,  and 
that  they  placed  an  undue  confidence  in  the  safety  of  their 
property  through  British  forbearance,  which  it  was  proper  to 
dispel ;  but  these  reasons  are  far  from  satisfactory. 

About  this  time,  General  Putnam,  who  had  been  stationed 
with  a  respectable  command  at  Reading,  in  Connecticut,  when 
on  a  visit  to  his  out-post,  at  Horse-Neck,  was  attacked  by 
Governor  Tryon,  with  about  1500  men.  General  Putnam  had 
only  a  picquet  of  1500  men,  and  two  iron  field  pieces,  without 
horses  or  drag-ropes.  He,  however,  planted  his  cannon  on  the 
high  ground,  near  the  meeting-house,  and  by  several  lires, 
retarded  the  advancing  enemy,  and  continued  to  make  oppo- 
sition, till  he  perceived  the  enemy's  horse,  supported  by  the 
infantry,  were,  about  to  charge.  General  Putnam,  after  ordering 
the  picquet  to  provide  for  their  safety,  by  retiring  to  a  swamp 
inaccessible  to  horse,  plunged  down  the  precipice  at  the  church. 
This  is  so  steep  as  to  have  artificial  stairs,  composed  of  nearly  oDe 

2b2 


298 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


If 


i 
IS 


Ik. 
I 


Vt 


CAPTURB  or  BTORT  POINT. 


I.unared  stone  steps,  for  the  accommodation  of  foot-passengers. 
The  drjigoons  stopped  short,  without  venturing  down  the 
abrupt  declivity ;  and  before  they  got  round  the  brow  of  the 
hill,  Putnam  was  far  enough  beyond  their  reach.  Of  the  many 
balls  that  were  fired  at  him,  all  missed  except  one,  which  went 
through  his  hat.  He  proceeded  to  Stamford,  and,  having 
strengthened  his  picquet  with  some  militia,  faced  about,  and 
pursued  Governor  Tryon  on  his  return. 

A  proposed  attack  on  New  London  was  interrupted  by  a 
counter  project  of  Washington,  who  was  anxious  to  do  some- 
thing to  efface  the  impression  of  so  many  losses.  It  being 
ascertained  that  the  newly  captured  forts  on  the  Hudson  were 
little  apprehensive  of  an  attack,  Washington  conceived  the 
design  of  taking  Stony  Point.  The  enterprise  was  committed 
to  the  brave  and  vigilant  General  Anthony  Wayne.  After  a 
rapid,  but  silent  march,  Wayne  reach  the  rear  of  the  British 
post,  undiscovered,  about  midnight,  on  the  16th  of  July,  and 
after  a  short  struggle  with  the  surprised  garrison,  carried  the 
works.  The  garrison,  543  in  number,  were  made  prisoners,  and 
treated  with  a  humanity  but  little  expected,  as,  on  several 
8uch  occasions,  the  British  had  shown  no  mercy.    The  opposite 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


2'J'J 


fort  was  also  attempted,  but  without  success.  As  Washington 
could  not  spare  a  number  of  men,  sufficient  to  garrison  Ston  v 
Point,  the  works  were  pr.rtialiy  demolished  and  abandoned. 
Clinton,  however,  soon  re-occupied  and  repaired  the  post. 

An  expedition  was  also  sent  in  June,  from  Boston,  against  a 
station  on  the  river  Penobscot,  fonned  by  a  detachment  under 
Colonel  Maclean  from  Nova  Scotia.  Above  three  thousand 
militia,  under  General  Lovell,  effected  a  landing  on  the  penin- 
sular point  occupied  by  the  English;  but  the  works  appeared 
to  him  too  strong  to  be  carried  without  the  aid  of  regular  troo[)s, 
which  were  promised  by  General  Gates.  Before  tlieir  arrival, 
however.  Sir  George  Collier  appeared  in  the  river  with  a 
squadron  from  New  York,  when  Lovell  re-embarked  his  troops, 
and  formed  with  his  ships  a  crescent  across  the  river,  making  a 
show  of  resistance,  inl,  seeing  his  adversary  bearing  up  with 
superior  force,  he  took  to  flight,  and  having  no  retreat,  his  fleet 
of  six  frigates  and  nine  smaller  vessels  was  entirely  destroyed. 
The  men  escaped  on  shore,  but  had  to  penetrate  through  a 
long  extent  of  desert,  in  which  many  perished.  This  blow 
was  slightly  compensated  by  the  surprise  of  Powles  Hook,  a 
fort  immediately  opposite  to  New  York.  Being  far  within  the 
British  lines,  the  commander  yielded  to  a  feeling  of  security ; 
from  which,  about  three  in  the  morning  of  the  18th  of  August, 
he  was  roused  by  Major  Lee,  who  entered  the  place  without 
resistance,  and  made  one  hundred  and  fifty-nine  prisoners. 
Circumstances  did  not  allow  the  captor  to  retain  it,  and  he 
found  some  difficulty  in  retreating. 

More  important  military  operations  took  place  in  the 
southern  states,  which  had  not  hitherto  become  a  theatre  of 
war.  Already,  in  the  close  of  1778,  Clinton  had  despatched  a 
force  against  Georgia,  whose  inhabitants  were  reported  as  favour- 
able to  the  mother-country.  Colonel  Campbell,  the  commander, 
arrived  at  Savannah,  the  capital,  about  the  end  of  December, 
and  summoned  the  place.  The  Americans  were  commanded 
by  General  Howe,  whose  force  had  been  weakened  by  an  un- 
successful expedition  into  Florida ;  nevertheless  he  drew  it  up 
in  a  strong  position,  covered  by  a  swamp  in  front,  and  with  the 
town  in  his  rear.  The  British  officer,  however,  received  in- 
telligence of  a  private  path  unknown  to  the  Americans,  and 


I' 


SCO 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


I*' 


detfiched  a  column  under  Sir  James  Baird,  which  got  unper- 
ceived  into  their  rear.  Being  then  attacked  at  once  on  all 
sides,  they  were  completely  routed,  with  the  loss  of  their 
artillery,  stores,  and  nearly  five  hundred  prisoners.  They  pre- 
cipitately retreated  into  South  Carolina,  leaving  all  Lower 
Georgia  ii»  the  hands  of  the  invaders.  The  inhabitants  were 
found  extremely  well  disposed ;  and,  being  treated  in  a  con- 
ciliatory manner,  readily  formed  themselves  into  corps  for  the 
defence  of  the  country.  General  Prevost  then  entered  from 
Florida,  and  without  difficulty  reduced  Sunbury,  the  only  for- 
tress still  held  by  the  adverse  party.  Having  assumed  the 
command  of  the  forces  from  New  York,  he  despatched  Camp- 
bell to  Augusta,  capital  of  the  upper  territory,  the  reduction  of 
which  completed  that  of  the  state. 

Congress,  meantime,  even  before  this  landing,  had  planned 
the  reduction  of  East  Florida,  and  hence  had  recalled  Howe, 
supplying  his  place  by  Lincoln,  an  officer  of  much  higher  repu- 
tation, who  had  been  second  under  Gates  against  Burgoyne. 
He  found  everything  in  the  most  unprepared  state ;  and  before 
being  able  to  put  any  fordfe  in  motion,  learned  the  total  defeat 
of  his  predecessor,  and  the  conquest  of  Georgia.  He  could  then 
aim  only  at  covering  South  Carolina ;  and  the  river  Savannah 
formed  so  strong  a  barrier,  that  the  British  general  did  not 
attempt  to  cross.  Meantime,  about  seven  hundred  royalist  re- 
fugees, who  had  left  their  homes  and  taken  shelter  among  the 
Indians,  attempted  to  rejoin  the  king's  forces.  Being  attacked, 
however,  by  Colonel  Pickens  with  a  body  of  militia..  Colonel 
Boyd,  their  connnander,  was  killed,  and  only  three  hundred 
reached  their  destination.  Several  of  the  prisoners  were  tried 
and  put  to  dejith. 

Lincoln,  encouraged  by  this  success,  and  being  daily  rein- 
forced, caused  General  Ashe  with  fourteen  hundred  men  to 
cross  the  Savannah,  and  take  post  at  its  junction  with  Brier 
Creek,  a  stream  unfordable  for  some  miles  up,  and  appearing 
completely  to  secure  his  front.  It  w.as  thus  hoped  to  exclude 
the  English  from  Augusta  and  all  the  upper  territories.  Colonel 
Prevost,  however,  brother  to  the  general,  making  a  circuit  of 
fifty  miles,  and  crossing  at  fords  fifteen  miles  above,  came  un 
expectedly  on  the  rear  of  this  body,  and  totally  routed  them. 


, 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


801 


fil 


OKNKKAL   LINCOLN. 


the  regular  troops,  after  atterni)ting  resistance,  being  ftll  eith^* 
killed  or  taken.  Notwithstanding  this  disaster,  Lincoln,  again 
reinforced,  determined  to  proceed  with  his  main  body  against 
Augusta.  Prevost,  instead  of  a  long  and  harassing  march  in 
that  direction,  sought  to  recall  him  by  a  movemont  against 
Charleston ;  but  intending  only  a  feint,  he  procoedod  witli  a 
leisure  which  he  found  reason  to  regret,  as  it  appeurH  had  all 
practicable  speed  been  employed,  that  capital  would  havo  I'allen 
into  his  hands.  The  alarm,  however,  had  been  givtm,  and 
such  active  preparations  made,  that  he  did  not  venture  to 
attack,  but  distributed  his  troops  in  the  neighbouring  inland  of 
St.  John.  Lincoln,  who  had  hastened  down,  made  an  attempt 
38 


ao2 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


li- 


IV- 


to  beat  up  his  quarters,  without  success ;  and  the  midsummer 
heat  causing  a  suspension  of  military  operations,  the  British 
troops  retired  unmolested  into  Georgia. 

Tliis  state  of  affairs  in  the  southern  colonies  called  im- 
pcrioi\sly  for  the  attention  of  Congress,  and  Washington  found 
it  necessary  to  detach  thither  some  part  even  of  his  reduced 
army.  He  solicited  more  powerful  aid  from  D'Estaing,  who 
then  comnmnded  in  the  West  Indies  an  army  sufficiently  power- 
ful to  crush  entirely  the  English  in  Georgia.  The  French 
admiral  received  this  application  just  after  having  fought  a 
hard  battle  against  Commodore  Byron  without  any  decisive 
result,  yet  such  as  obliged  the  latter  to  go  into  port  to  refit. 
Tiie  former  being  thus  for  a  time  master  of  the  sea,  determined 
at  once  to  comply  with  the  request,  took  on  board  six  thousand 
land-troops,  and  steered  direct  for  Savannah,  where,  arriving 
quite  unexpectedly,  he  captured  by  surprise  a  fifty-gun  ship 
and  three  frigates.  Prevost,  too,  was  very  unprepared,  having 
his  force  broken  up  into  detachments  distributed  along  the 
frontier;  but  these  being  instantly  ordered  in,  obeyed  with 
such  promptitude  that  before  the  French  had  landed  and  formed 
a  junction  with  Lincoln,  nearly  all  had  arrived.  On  the  16th 
of  September,  D'Estaing  appeared  before  the  place  and  sum- 
moned it  to  surrender.  Prevost,  under  pretext  of  negotiation, 
obtained  a  suspension  for  twenty-four  hours,  during  which 
Colonel  Maitland  entered  with  the  last  and  largest  detachment, 
eluding  the  Americans  by  a  route  supposed  impassable;  and 
the  full  determination  to  resist  was  then  announced.  The 
allies,  on  reconnoitring  the  works,  deemed  it  imprudent  to 
attempt  them  by  storm,  and  were  obliged  to  wait  a  few  days 
till  the  heavy  ordnance  and  stores  could  be  brought  from  the 
fleet.  They  broke  ground  on  the  23d  of  September ;  but  the 
defence  was  conducted  with  great  vigour  and  skill,  under  the 
direction  of  Major  Moncrieff,  a  very  able  engineer;  so  that 
notwithstanding  some  progress  made  by  the  1st  of  October,  an 
interval  must  still  elapse  before  surrender  could  be  expected. 
D'Estaing  then  refused  to  adventure  his  fleet  longer  on  this 
insecure  coast,  in  a  tempestuous  season,  and  while  liable  to 
attack  from  the  British  squadron  refitted  and  reinforced ;  yet 
|jefor»>  departing,  he  ofiered  to  concur  in  an  attempt  to  carry 


THE   REVOLUTION. 


803 


(l 


DEATH  OP  PULASKI. 


the  place  by  storm.  This  was  agreed  to ;  and  a  hollow  way 
being  observed,  by  which  troops  could  advance  to  within  fifty 
yards  of  the  wall,  four  thousand  five  hundred  men,  the  flower 
of  the  combined  army,  undertook  to  penetrate  it,  while  the 
rest  amused  the  garrison  by  feigned  attacks.  This  party 
pushed  on  with  great  vigour ;  they  had  even  crossed  the  ditch, 
mounted  the  parapet,  and  planted  their  standards  on  the  wall. 
Being  here  exposed,  however,  to  a  tremendous  fire  from  the 
works  well  constructed  and  completely  manned,  they  soon  gave 
way ;  Count  Pulaski  was  killed,  and  a  brisk  attack  by  Major 
Glaziers  drove  the  whole  back  into  the  hollow.  They  then 
renounced  the  attack,  having  sustained  the  severe  loss  of  seven 
hundred  French  and  two  hundred  and  thirty-four  Americans 
killed  and  wounded ;  while  that  of  the  besieged  was  only  fifty 
five.  The  French  admiral  no  longer  paused  in  embarking  his 
troops  and  sailing  for  the  West  Indies ;  thus  a  second  time  dis- 
appointing sanguine  expectations,  and  leaving  the  Americar. 
cause  in  the  same  state  as  before. 

Clinton,  on  learning  this  success,  determined  finally  to  begin 
operations  on  a  great  scale  in  the  southern  states.  Recent  in- 
formation showed  them  to  be  more  defenceless,  and  the  in- 
habitants better  inclined  to  the  dominion  of  the  parent  state. 


304 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


I 

I! 


: 


■is 


I    : 


m 
m 


than  those  on  the  great  northern  theatre  of  war ;  while  their 
reduction  might  facilitate  tiuit  of  the  others,  or  at  all  events 
preserve  for  Britain  an  important  portion  of  her  American  ter- 
ritory.    He  had  recently  obtained  a  reinforcement  from  home, 
and  had  withdrawn  the  force  hitherto  stationed  with  little 
advantage  upon  Rhode  iHland.    On  the  26th  of  December,  1779, 
leaving  Knyphausen  with  troops  sufficient  to  defend  New  York 
against  the  ill-organized  army  of  Washington,  b'?  sailed  with 
five  thousand  men  for  Savannah.     The  voyage  was  most  tem- 
pestuous, and  prolonged  till  the  end  of  January ;  some  of  the 
vessels  were  wrecked,  and  nearly  all  the  horses  perished.     He 
exerted  himself  actively  to  repair  these  losses;    and  by  the 
middle  of  February  had  re-embarked  and  landed  on  St.  John's 
Island  near  Charleston.     Some  time  was  spent  in  recruiting 
and  reinforcing  his  troops  and  remounting  his  cavalry ;  while 
Lincoln  was  actively  strengthening  the  garrison,  and  restoring 
the  works,  which,  since  the  memorable  attack  in  May,  had  fallen 
into  almost  complete  decay.  He  succeeded  in  assembling  above 
two  thousand  regulars,  one  thousand  militia,  and  a  great  body 
of  armed  citizens ;  but  the  chief  hope,  which  was  soon  proved 
to  be  fallacious,  rested  on  preventing  the  British  from  crossing 
the  bar,  as  the  fleet,  under  a  favourable  wind  and  tide,  passed 
with  scarcely  any  opposition.   Lincoln  then  seriously  deliberated 
on  evacuating  the  place  and  saving  his  army ;  but  he  dreaded 
popular  reproach,  and  was  buoyed  up  with  promises  of  rein- 
forcements that  never  arrived.     On  the  1st  of  April,  Clinton 
crossed  the  Ashley,  which,  with  Cooper  River,  encloses  the 
peninsula  of  Charleston,  and  broke  ground  before  the  city.    On 
the  9th,  the  first  parallel  was  completed,  and  the  maritime 
blockade  rendered  very  close ;  yet  the  garrison  still  communi- 
cated with  the  country  by  their  cavalry  at  Monk's  Corner, 
about  thirty  miles  up  Cooper  River.     Colonel  Tarleton,  by  a 
circuitous  route,  came  upon  this  body  so  unexpectedly,  thnt 
though  they  held  their  horses  bridled  and  saddled,  they  were 
attacked  before  they  had  time  to  mount,  routed,  and  completely 
dispersed.     The  British  soon  after  received  a  reinforcement  of 
three  thousand ;  when  Lincoln  seriously  proposed  an  attempt 
to  extricate  his  army ;    but  the  principal  inhabitants,  enter- 
taining a  dread  of  ill  treatment  from  the  captors,  prevailed 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


805 


upon  him  only  to  oflfer  a  capitulation  on  condition  of  the  garri- 
son being  still  allowed  to  serve.  This  proposal  was  at  once 
rejected ;  the  siege  was  steadily  pushed;  all  the  outward  posts 
successively  fell ;  two  detachments  of  cavolry  which  had  rallied 
(frere  by  the  active  movements  of  Tarleton  again  dissipated  and 
nearly  destroyed ;  and  the  third  parallel  being  completed,  pre- 
parations were  mode  for  a  general  assault.  Lincoln,  then 
seeing  his  situation  hopeless,  submitted  to  the  terms  profferea 
by  tlie  victor,  that  all  the  military  stores  should  be  given  up. 
the  regular  troops  made  prisoners  of  war,  while  the  militia,  on 
giving  their  parole,  might  return  and  remain  unmolested  at 
their  homes.  The  prisoners  taken  were  stated  by  Clinton  al 
five  thousand  six  hundred  and  eighteen,  with  one  thousand 
seamen,  and  three  hundred  and  eleven  pieces  of  ordnance. 

This  was  a  very  important  triumph,  and  seemed  to  assure 
the  reunion  to  Britain  of  at  least  a  large  portion  of  hev 
revolted  colonies.  With  very  small  exceptions,  the  whole 
of  the  military  force  stationed  in  the  southern  states,  including 
all  its  means  and  implements  of  war,  was  at  once  captured. 
A  number  of  the  inhabitants  now  testified  their  satisfaction, 
and  the  rest  were  awed  into  silence.  There  was  scarcely 
a  soldier  in  Georgia  and  South  Carolina  who  was  not  either 
a  prisoner  or  in  arms  for  Britain.  North  Carolina  was  well 
known  as  a  decided  seat  of  royalism,  and  Clinton  had  secret 
assurances,  as  soon  as  he  should  reach  that  province,  of  power- 
ful support.  He  now  published  a  proclamation,  promising  to 
the  people  a  renewal  of  all  their  former  privileges,  with 
the  addition  of  not  being  taxed  unless  by  their  own  consent. 
Soon  after,  he  issued  another,  absolving  the  militia  from 
their  paroles,  and  calling  upon  them  to  join  with  other  citizens 
in  aiding  the  British  cause.  This  step  was  much  complained 
of,  and  with  reason,  as  involving  a  breach  of  faith ;  and  the 
policy  seems  doubtful  of  not  allowing  the  enemies  of  Britain  to 
remain  in  a  state  of  silent  and  passive  submission. 

On  the  5th  of  June,  Clinton  set  sail  for  New  York,  leaving 
Lord  Cornwallis  with  four  thousand  men  to  secure,  and,  if  he 
could,  extend  his  conquests.  Detachments  had  already  been 
sent  up  the  principal  rivers.  Savannah,  Saluda,  and  Santee.  On 
the  last  only,  a  party  of  four  hundred,  under  Colonel  Buford. 

20 


306 


THE   RIVOLUTIOK 


11 


! 


TAKtlTON'S  QFARTBRI. 


was  rapidly  retreating.  Though  ten  days  in  advance,  thoy 
were  overtaken  by  the  rapid  march  of  Tarleton,  and  at  Wnx- 
haw's  completely  routed  and  dispersed.  Tarleton  seldom  gave 
quarter.  The  principal  force  was  then  advanced  to  Camden 
on  the  Wateree,  near  the  frontier  of  North  Carolina;  but  the 
intense  heat,  with  the  difficulty  of  provisioning  the  army  till 
the  corn  was  on  the  ground,  rendered  a  delay  necessary.  The 
loyalists  in  that  province  were  advised  to  remain  quiet  till  a 
powerful  support  could  be  brought  forward ;  but  their  ardent 
zeal  could  not  be  restrained,  and  broke  out  in  several  insurec- 
tions,  which  were  suppressed  and  punished  with  a  rigour 
tending  to  deter  from  similar  attempts  in  future. 

Extreme  alarm  was  felt  by  the  American  government  on 
receiving  intelligence  of  these  events;  and  amid  the  createst 
obstacles,  it  was  necessary  to  make  vigorous  efforts  to  retrieve 
their  affairs.  Washington  made  arrangements  for  the  march 
of  the  troops  in  Maryland  and  Delaware,  and  for  calling  out 
the  militia  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina.  He  placed  them 
under  the  Baron  de  Kalb,  a  veteran  German  officer ;  but  Con- 
gress soon  after  conferred  the  chief  command  on  Gates,  hoping 
that  the  conqueror  of  Burgoyne  might  again  turn  the  tide  of 
fortune     Notwithstanding  the  utmost  despatch,  the  want  of 


i 


w 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


807 


BATTLR  OK  CAMDRN  AND  PRATH  OP  Dl  KALB. 


money,  military  stores,  and  provisions,  detained  him  so  long, 
that  thoiij^h  the  expedition  set  out  in  March,  it  was  the  be- 
ginning of  August  before  he  could  approach  Camden,  with 
about  four  thousand  men,  mostly  militia.  He  advanced  in  the 
determination  to  push  vigorously  offensive  operations,  hoping 
to  induce  Lord  Rawdon  to  fall  back  upon  Charleston.  That 
ofhcer,  however,  had  given  notice  to  Comwallis,  who  hastened 
to  the  spot,  and  though  the  troops,  from  disease  and  other 
causes,  had  been  reduced  to  little  more  than  two  thousand,  he 
resolved  without  hesitation  to  attack.  He  had  set  out  in  the 
night  of  the  15th,  with  a  view  to  surprise  the  Americans,  when, 
by  a  singular  concurrence,  he  met  Gates  in  full  march  with  the 
same  design  against  the  British.  The  advanced  guard  of  the 
British  was  driven  in,  when  both  parties  thought  it  advisable  to 
postpone  the  general  action  till  daylight.  In  the  American 
line,  De  Kalb,  with  most  of  the  regulars,  commanded  on  the 
right,  while  the  militia  of  Carolina  formed  the  centre,  and  that 
of  Virginia  the  left.  The  conflict  began  with  the  last,  who 
were  attacked  by  the  British  infantry,  under  Colonel  Webster, 
with  such  impetuosity,  that  they  threw  down  their  arms  and 


J 


308 


THE   REVOLUTION. 


precipitately  fled.  The  whole  of  the  left  and  centre  were  very 
speedily  off  the  field,  few  having  fired  a  shot,  and  still  fewer 
carrying  away  a  musket.  Gates  was  borne  along  by  the  torrent, 
and  after  vain  attempts  to  rally  his  men,  gave  up  all  for  lost, 
9,nd  never  stopped  till  he  reached  Charlotte,  eighty  miles 
distant.  Meantime,  Do  Kalb,  on  the  right,  opposed  to  Lord 
Rawdon,  long  and  firmly  maintained  his  ground,  gaining  even 
some  advantage ;  and  it  was  not  till  the  victorious  divisions 
had  wheeled  round  against  him,  that  his  corps  was  broken  and 
dispersed.  He  himself,  covered  with  wounds,  became  a  captive, 
and,  notwithstanding  every  care,  expired  in  a  few  hours. 
About  one  thousand  prisoners  were  taken,  and  the  whole  army 
was  scattered.  Gates  seems  manifestly  to  have  erred  in  fight- 
ing a  pitched  battle  with  an  army  consisting  chiefly  of  militia, 
and  Tarleton  particularly  censures  him  for  having  composed  of 
them  so  great  a  part  of  his  regular  line,  instead  of  merely  em- 
ploying them  to  skirmish  on  his  front  and  flanks ;  but,  in  fact, 
his  veteran  force  seems  to  have  scarcely  sufficed  for  a  duly 
extended  order  of  battle. 

There  was  still  some  resistance  to  overcome.  The  patriots 
in  South  Carolina,  recovering  from  their  first  panic,  had 
begun  to  rise  at  different  points.  The  militia,  complaining  that 
the  terms  granted  had  not  been  duly  observed,  disregarded 
their  engagements  to  remain  passive,  and  prepared  to  take 
the  field.  A  number,  after  joining  the  royal  banner,  went 
over  to  the  Americans;  one  Colonel  Lisle  carried  with  him 
a  whole  battalion.  Thus  were  assembled,  under  Colonel 
Sumpter,  an  active  partisan,  upwards  of  six  hundred,  raised, 
by  a  detachment  from  the  main  army,  to  about  one  thousand. 
He  was  repulsed  in  attacks  upon  the  stations  called  Rocky 
Mount  and  Hanging  Rock;  h^,,  on  the  evening  before  the 
battle  of  Camden,  succeeded  in  carrying  a  strong  redoubt  on 
the  Wateree,  taking  above  one  hundred  prisoners.  On  learn- 
ing the  fatal  issue  of  that  day,  he  instantly  began  his  retreat, 
and  reached  with  such  celerity  the  fords  of  the  Catawba, 
that  he  considered  himself  safe,  and  allowed  his  men  to  repose 
during  the  heat  of  the  day.  But  nothing  could  escape  the  in- 
defatigable ardour  of  Tarleton,  who  had  been  sent  in  pursuit. 
His  rapidity  was  such,  that  the  greater  part  of  his  corps  could 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


309 


COLUNEL   8UMPTER. 


not  follow  him  from  fatigue ;  but  with  one  hundred  and  sixty 
only  he  came  up,  and  found  the  Americans  completely  unpre- 
pared, their  videttes  asleep,  and  the  men  lying  apart  from  their 
arms.  Roused  from  slumber  by  the  attack  of  this  active 
band,  they  scarcely  attempted  resistance;  and  after  a  short 
struggle,  about  half  were  captured,  the  others  dispersed.  They 
lost  one  hundred  and  fifty  killed  and  wounded,  besides  three 
hundred  and  ten  prisoners ;  all  their  stores  were  taken,  and  the 
British  captives  recovered.  Comwallis,  having  thus  become 
master  of  a  considerable  number  of  prisoners,  proceeded  against 
them  with  vigour ;  several,  who  had  joined  the  British  militia 
and  then  deserted  from  their  ranks,  were  executed  as  traitors. 
The  estates,  too,  of  all  those  who  joined  the  patriots  were 
confiscated.  This  severity  created  enemies  to  Britain  among 
those  who  before  had  been  disposed  to  be  loyal,  and  increased 
the  ardour  of  the  friends  of  freedom. 

After  a  few  weeks'  delay  on  account  of  the  heat,  the  British 
general  advanced  to  Charlotte  Town,  in  North  Carolina.  Mean- 
time, a  corps  of  about  sixteen  hundred  loyal  militia  having 
been  assembled,  under  Major  Ferguson,  an  active  partisan,  he 
was  directed  to  move  westward,  and  clear  the  territory  alonjt 
the  foot  of  the  mountains.  He  was  led  farther  in  this  directioi\ 
by  the  movements  of  a  hostile  party  which  threatened  Augusta. 
39  2  c  2 


310 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


where  he  approached  and  roused  into  action  a  class  marked  as 
terrible  foes  to  the  British  cause.     The  borderers,  who  roved 
along  the  sides  of  the  Alleghany,  were,  if  possible,  ruder  and 
bolder  than  the  boys  of  the  Green  Mountain.     They  rode  on 
light  fleet  horses,  carrying  only  their  rifle,  a  blanket,  and  knap- 
sack.    Food  was  procured  by  the  gun,  or,  on  its  occasional 
failure,  from  a  small  herd  of  cattle  driven  before  them.     At 
night,  the  earth  was  their  bed,  the  sky  their  canopy.     They 
thus  moved  with  a  swiftness  which  no  ordinary  troops  could 
rival.     Ferguson,  having  learned  that  about  three  thousand  of 
these  daring  mountaineers  had  mustered  against  him,  under  the 
command  of  Colonels  Campbell,  Shelby,  and  Williams,  began  a 
rapid  retreat  upon  the  main   body ;  but  being  informed  that 
one  thousand  of  the  fleetest  and  boldest  h.ad  been  formed  into  a 
select  band  in  chase  of  him,  and  seeing  the  hopelessness  of 
escaping  their  almost  preternatural  swiftness,  he  took  post  on 
King's  Mountain,  and  awaited  their  attack.    They  came  up  on 
the  7  th  of  October,  and  began  to  ascend  the  mountain  in  three 
divisions.     Ferguson  charged  the  first,  and  drove  it  back  with 
the  bayonet ;  and  wherever  this  weapon  could  be  used,  he  was 
victorious ;  but  the  assailants  clustered  round  on  every  side, 
and  from  beneath  the  covert  of  trees  and  steeps  discharged 
their  rifles  with  almost  unerring  aim.     The  British  soon  began 
to  fall  in  great  numbers,  and  when  their  commander  himself 
received  a  mortal  wound,  the  whole  party  were  routed,  three 
hundred  killed  and  wounded,  the  rest  completely  dispersed.    In 
retaliation  of  Cornwallis's  proceedings  at  Camden,  ten  of  the 
principal  captives  were  hanged  on  the  spot. 

Cornwallis,  meanwhile,  had  pushed  on  to  Salisbury,  approach- 
ing Virginia ;  and  in  expectation  of  his  reaching  that  state,  a 
reinforcement  destined  for  him,  under  General  Leslie,  was 
ordered  to  enter  the  Chesaipeake.  Learning,  however,  this 
dreadful  catastrophe,  and  fearing  that  so  numerous  a  band 
might  oveirun  and  spread  insurrection  in  South  Carolina,  he 
judged  it  necessary  to  fall  back  upon  that  colony;  and  Leslie 
was  instructed  to  join  by  the  circuitous  route  of  Charleston. 
The  alarm  leading  to  this  retrogrdde  movement  proved,  in  a 
great  measure,  unfounded.  That  tumultuary  mass,  roused  by 
a  local  impulse,  having  accomplished  their  immediate  object^ 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


311 


1. 


(ed  as 

roved 

er  and 

ode  on 

knap- 

\8ional 

At 

They 

could 

and  of 

:ler  the 

)ogan  a 

ed  that 

I  into  a 

less  of 

post  on 

e  up  on 

n  three 

ck  with 

he  was 

ry  side, 

charged 

n  began 

himself 

d,  three 

•sed.    In 

I  of  the 

pproach- 
,  state,  a 
lie,  was 
i^er,  this 
a  band 
olina,  he 
id  Leslie 
arleston. 
ved,  in  a 
oused  by 
e  object, 


OERERAL  HARIOir. 


could  not  be  prevented  from  dispersing,  and  the  partisan  war- 
fare was  continued  by  only  two  small  bodies.  Marion,  though 
holding  together  only  from  fifty  to  two  hundred  men,  severely 
harassed  the  British,  keeping  himself  so  well  covered  by  woods 
and  marshes,  that  even  Tarleton  could  not  hunt  him  down. 
Sumpter,  too,  after  being  entirely  routed  by  that  officer,  had 
again  assembled  a  considerable  corps  of  mounted  militia,  and 
threatened  some  important  posts.  His  former  enemy  not  being 
at  hand.  Major  Wemyss  was  employed,  and  soon  came  up  with 
him ;  but  being  early  wounded,  and  his  troops  vigorously  at- 
tacked by  the  patriots,  he  suffered  a  severe  repulse.  It  was  then 
necessary  to  have  recourse  to  Tarleton,  and  give  him  a  con- 
siderable force.  Using  his  accustomed  despatch,  he  had  nearly 
got  in  the  rear  of  his  adversary,  who,  as  soon  as  he  learned  to 
♦vhom  he  was  opposed,  hurried  by  rapid  marches  to  the  Tyger, 
whose  rapid  stream  once  passed,  would  secure  his  retreat. 
Tarleton,  seeing  that  with  his  whole  force  he  could  not  be  in 
time  to  prevent  this  movement,  adopted  his  former  plan  of 
pushing  forward  with  two  hundred  and  fifty  cavalry  and 
mounted  infantry.  He  found  his  opponent  strongly  posted  on 
the  bank  of  the  river,  and  with  his  wonted  promptitude  ruslied 


312 


THE   REVOLUTION. 


\\ 


v 


OKNERAL  QBEKNB. 


forward  to  the  attack.  The  conflict,  however,  was  obstinate 
and  bloody,  and  he  was  finally  obliged,  with  considerable  loss, 
to  fall  back  on  his  infantry.  Sumpter  then  crossed  the  river; 
but  his  men  had  been  so  severely  handled,  that  they  lost 
courage  and  dispersed;  so  that  his  opponent  reaped  all  ihe 
fruits  of  victory. 

Gates,  meantime,  used  diligent  exertions  to  collect  and  re- 
organize the  remains  of  his  defeated  army ;  and  Congress,  amid 
every  difficulty,  forwarded  to  him  reinforcements.  He  incurred, 
however,  the  reproach  to  which  the  unfortunate  are  usually 
exposed,  Washington  being  called  upon  to  institute  an  inquiry 
into  his  conduct,  and  to  nominate  another  commander.  Greene 
wns  named,  with  the  assurance  that  a  commander  had  been 
furnished,  provided  troops  and  means  could  be  supplied.  This 
announcement  was  amply  fulfilled ;  yet  Gates  was  considered 
hardly  treated,  especially  as  his  first  intimation  was  the  arrival 
of  his  successor  to  take  the  command,  who  bore  testimony  that, 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


313 


)bstinate 
ible  loss, 
le  river; 
hey  lost 
all  ihe 

and  re- 
}ss,  amid 
ncurred, 

usually 
I  inquiry 

Greene 
lad  been 
a.  This 
nsidered 
e  arrival 
9ny  that. 


on  this  trying  occasion,  he  behaved  in  a  handsome  and  honour- 
able manner. 

When  Greene  arrived,  on  the  2d  of  December,  the  army  had 
been  raised  to  nearly  two  thousand  men,  of  whom  the  larger 
number  were  regulars.     Determining  by  some  movements  to 
support  the  cause  in  South  Carolina,  he  detached  Morgan,  a 
very  able  partisan,  to  take  post  on  the  Broad  River,  and  en- 
deavour to  cut  oflf  Cornwallis,  then  at  Winnsborough,  from  the 
upper  country.     He  had  about  six  hundred  men,  with  the  ex- 
pectation of  assembling  more  in  the  district.     On  learning  this 
movement,  Tarleton  was   immediately  despatched  with   one 
thousand  njpn  to  resist  the  inroad.     The  American  at  first 
abandoned  his  camp,  and  began  a  rapid  retreat;  but  finding 
this  difiicult,  and  his  forces  being  nearly  equal,  he  resolved  to 
await  the  attack  at  Cowpens,  a  spot  three  miles  from  the  boun- 
dary of  the  Carolinas.    Avoiding  the  fault  of  Gates,  he  disposed 
his  militia  in  front,  keeping  in  reserve  a  chosen  body,  on  whom 
he  could  fully  depend.    On  the  17th  of  January,  1780,  Tarleton 
came  up,  and  immediately  rushed  to  the  charge.    The  first 
American  line  was  soon  broken,  and  hastily  retreated  into  the 
rear  of  the  second,  which  was  then  attacked,  and  thrown  into 
some  confusion,  when  Morgan  ordered  the  men  to  fall  back  and 
unite  with  the  reserve.     This  movement  was  mistaken  for  a 
flight  by  the  assailants,  who  pushed  on  exultingly,  in  somewhat 
irregular  order.    Suddenly  the  Americans,  having  fully  adjusted 
their  line,  halted,  wheeled  round,  and  commenced  a  destructive 
fire  on  their  pursuers,  who  being  seen  to  falter,  a  charge  wiis 
made  with  the  bayonet,  and  by  the  cavalry  with  their  drawn 
swords.  After  a  short  contest,  the  lately  victorious  British  were 
completely  routed,  and  nearly  the  whole  infantry  surrounded 
.  and  obliged  to  surrender.     The  cavalry  escaped  by  flight;  but 
upwards  of  one  hundred  were  killed,  and  five  hundred  made 
prisoners.     Tarleton  declares  himself  quite  unable  to  account 
for  so  total  a  rout.     He  appears  in  fact  to  have  attacked  in  his 
usual  impetuous  manner,  on  the  calculation  of  encountering 
mostly  loose  militia  levies,  whereas  a  part  of  the  opposing 
force  was  veteran ;  two  of  the  militia  companies  consisted  of 
regulars  recently  discharged.     The  British  army  suffered  thus 
most  severely,  having  lost  all  its  light  infantry,  a  corps  parti- 


i 


31i 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


BATTLB  or  THE  COWPEilg. 


c.ularly  useful  in  such  warfare ;  nor  was  it  a  small  injury  that 
the  fame  of  the  commander  as  an  almost  invincible  partisan 
officer  was  deeply  tarnished. 

Cornwallis,  however,  having  just  received  the  reinforcement 
of  two  thousand  six  hundred  men  under  Leslie,  determined  to 
efface  the  impression  of  this  disaster  by  a  series  of  the  most 
active  offensive  operations.  Destroying  all  his  superfluous 
baggage,  he  supplied  the  loss  of  his  light  infantry  by  converting 
the  whole  army  nearly  into  a  corps  of  that  description.  His 
first  hope  was  to  overtake  Morgan,  and  recover  all  that  was 
lost,  which  he  had  so  nearly  effected  that  his  van  reached  the 
Catawba  on  the  29th  of  January,  only  two  hours  after  the 
patriots  had  passed ;  when  a  torrent  of  rain  swelled  the  waters 
and  rendered  it  impossible  for  him  to  follow.  Greene,  who  had 
hastened  to  take  the  command,  hoped  to  defend  the  passage  of 
this  river,  but  it  was  forced  on  the  Ist  of  February  at  a  private 
ford  defended  by  Colonel  Davidson,  who  was  defeated  and 
killed.  Tarleton  then  surprised  and  dispers  H  a  body  of  militia 
assembled  at  a  neighbouring  inn.  The  American  general,  con- 
sidering himself  wholly  unable  to  hazard  a  battle,  retreated 
before  his  adversary,  who  presently  began  a  chase,  which  was 
continued  incessantly  and  rapidly  across  the  whole  of  North 


i 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


310 


Carolina.  On  the  night  of  the  2d  of  February,  the  two  divi- 
sions of  the  American  army  having  effected  a  jiuuttion,  (M'ommimI 
the  Yadkin,  but  ho  closely  followed,  that  their  roar  MUiriniHlitMi 
with  the  van  of  the  enemy,  and  part  of  their  buggiign  wn« 
taken.  By  another  favourable  chance,  heavy  rain  lull  durin;; 
the  night,  and  in  the  morning  rendered  the  river  luipaHMublo ; 
so  that  Cornwallis  was  obliged  to  make  a  circuit  to  llH  uppi  r 
fords,  while  his  opponent  continued  his  retreat.  Ill)  njiin-luMl 
towards  the  Dan,  the  chief  branch  of  the  Koanoko,  which  llow.s 
nearly  along  the  boundary  of  Carolina  and  Virginia.  It  wiis  u 
broad  unfordable  stream,  and  Greene,  if  ho  roachod  tiio  other 
side,  would  be  in  safety ;  but  the  pursuit  was  continut'd  in  tliu 
confident  hope  of  his  being  unable  to  find  vohhuIh  HuH'KiR'nt  to 
transport  over  his  troops.  This  was  indeed  tho  eano  at  the 
ferry  immediately  before  him ;  but  by  an  able  movonient  he 
led  his  army  twenty  miles  downward  to  two  othurn,  Hcndlng  a 
detachment  to  bring  the  boats  from  the  upper  ono.  lie  thus 
collected  a  sufficient  number,  and  by  extraordinary  exertions 
had  his  army  ferried  over,  his  rear  reaching  the  northorn  bank 
just  as  the  English  van  appeared  on  the  southurn.  This 
march,  or  rather  hunt,  was  considered  highly  creditablo  to  both 
parties.  Greene  gained  great  applause  on  account  of  his  dis- 
advantageous situation,  fleeing  before  a  superior  unumy  who 
pursued  with  such  rapidity,  yet  placing  in  safety  not  only  his 
army,  but  the  greater  part  of  his  heavy  baggage ;  Htill  it  must 
be  owned  that  he  was  in  several  instances  singularly  favoured 
by  fortune. 

Cornwallis  now  gave  up  the  pursuit,  and  repaired  to  Hills- 
borough, with  the  view  of  calling  out  and  organizing  the 
royalist  force.  His  adherents,  though  here  peculiarly  strong, 
did  not  come  forward  to  the  extent  expected.  Tho  larger  por- 
tion, as  elsewhere,  regarded  the  cause  with  that  passive  and 
inert  attachment  which  we  have  remarked  to  be  generally 
prevalent ;  and  even  the  more  zealous,  having  suffered  severely 
by  former  premature  displays,  dreaded  lest  the  republican 
cause  should  regain  the  ascendancy.  The  view  also  of  the 
distress  and  exhaustion  of  the  British  troops,  after  go  long  a 
march,  was  by  no  means  alluring.  Yet  seven  companies  were 
formed,  and   detachments  began  to  come  in  from  different 


I 


816 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


1     i 


i 


h       ' 


fe 


MAJOR  HENRY  LEB. 


quarters.  On  the  other  hand,  Greene,  having  obtained  a  rein- 
forcement of  Virginia  militia,  repassed  the  Dan,  and  with  his 
light  troops  endeavoured  to  annoy  the  British  army  and  pre- 
vent recruiting.  Major  Lee  surprised  a  detachment  of  royalists, 
who  mistook  him  for  Tarleton,  and  cut  them  nearly  to  pieces. 
On  account  of  the  exhausted  state  of  the  country  at  Hills- 
borough, Comwallis  withdrew  to  a  position  on  the  AUimance 
Creek,  between  Haw  and  Deep  Rivers,  where  he  could  be 
better  supplied,  and  support  his  friends,  who  were  there 
numerous.  Greene,  however,  by  an  active  use  of  his  cavalry  and 
light  troops,  severely  harassed  his  opponent ;  and  by  changing 
his  own  position  every  night,  eluded  the  attempt  to  bring  him 
to  an  engagement. 

At  length,  the  American  general,  having  received  reinforce- 
ments, which  raised  his  army  to  above  four  thousand  two 
hundred  men,  of  whom  about  a  third  were  regulars,  determined 
to  offer  battle.  This  was  what  the  other  had  eagerly  sought ; 
yet  his  own  effective  force  being  reduced  to  somewhat  under 
two  thousand,  he  felt  now  some  hesitation,  and  probably  would 
have  acted  more  wisely  in  maintaining  the  defensive.  Even 
the  enterprising  Tarleton  observes,  that  in  his  circumstances 
defeat  would  have  been  total  ruin,  while  any  victory  he  might 


'   THE    REVOLUTION. 


317 


expect  to  gain  could  yield  little  fruit.  All  the  habits  and 
views  of  Comwallis,  however,  being  directed  to  an  active  cam 
paigu,  he  formed  his  resolution,  and  on  the  15th  of  March 
proceeded  to  the  attack.  Greene  had  drawn  up  his  army  very 
judiciously,  near  Guildford  Court-house,  mostly  on  a  raiige  of 
hills  covered  with  trees  and  brushwood.  Adopting  still  the 
system  of  making  the  militia  bear  the  first  brunt,  he  placed 
that  of  Carolina  in  the  front,  while  the  Virginia,  considered 
somewhat  better,  formed  the  second  line,  and  he  remained  in 
the  third  with  the  continental  troops,  in  whom  alone  he  placed 
full  confidence.  The  British,  proceeding  with  impetuosity,  and 
having  driven  in  the  advanced  guard  of  cavalry,  attacked  the 
Carolina  line,  who,  scarcely  discharging  their  muskets,  fled  pre- 
cipitately after  the  first  hostile  fire,  and  many  even  before. 
This  front  having  gone  for  nothing,  the  next  movement  was 


*6   8 


r» 


against  the  Virginians,  who  stood  their  ground  with  some  firm- 
ness ;  but  being  unable  to  resist  the  bayonet,  which  was  soon 
brought  against  them,  they,  too,  were  put  to  flight.  The 
assailants  then  advanced  against  the  third  line;  but  the  re- 
giments, having  experienced  different  degrees  of  resistance, 
came  on  impetuously,  in  an  uneven  line  and  some  disorder. 
Greene  then  felt  sanguine  hopes  that  a  steady  charge  from  his 
chosen  troops  would  turn  the  fortune  of  the  day.  He  was  dis- 
mayed to  see  the  second  Maryland  regiment  give  way  at  once, 
after  which  he  thought  only  of  retiring ;  bat  Colonel  Gunby, 
at  the  head  of  the  first,  gained  a  decided  advantage  over  the 
corps  under  Colonel  Stewart,  and  there  followed  an  obstinate 
and  somewhat  desultory  contest  between  the  different  corps, 
after  which  the  Americans  were  compelled  to  a  general  retreat. 
Yet  a  strong  body  of  riflemen,  on  the  left  flank,  kept  up  a 
galling  fire,  till  Tarleton,  with  the  cavalry,  drove  them  off"  the 
field.  In  this  hard-fought  battle,  the  Americans  had  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty-six  killed  and  wounded.  The  militia  dispersed, 
after  having  one  hundred  killed  and  wounded. 

The  English  victory  was  dearly  earned,  the  killed  and 
wounded  amounting  to  five  hundred  and  thirty-two,  including 
Colonels  Stewart  and  Webster,  two  of  their  best  officers,  and 
reducing  the  effective  force  below  fifteen  hundred.  This  small 
corps,  too,  was  in  a  very  reduced  and  exhausted  state.  In  short, 
40  2D 


f 


■   \ 


I  I 


fr^. 


^^'■U 


318 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


the  English  general  formed  the  resolution  to  fall  back  upon  Wil- 
mington, near  the  mouth  of  Cape  Fear  River,  which  had  been 
occupied  by  Major  Craig,  wliere  he  could  recruit  his  troops  and 
obtain  su[)plie8  and  reinforcements  by  sea. 

Greene  retreated  about  fifteen  miles;  taking  post  behind  a 
small  stream  named  Troublesome  Creek,  where  he  expocted 
and  determined  to  await  an  attack;  but  was  soon  agreeably 
surprised  by  learning  that  his  antagonist  was  in  full  retreat, 
and  had  even  left  eighty  wounded  recommended  to  his  care. 
He  immediately  set  out  in  pursuit,  and  after  overcoming 
various  obstacles,  arrived  on  the  28th  of  March  at  Ramsay's 
Mills,  on  Deep  River,  where,  having  learned  the  direction  which 
the  British  were  taking,  he  paused  for  a  few  days  to  recruit, 
and  deliberate  on  his  future  plans.  At  Wilmington,  the  hostile 
army  would  be  in  communication  with  the  sea,  jf  which  they 
were  then  masters ;  so  that  there  no  serious  impression  could 
be  made  upon  them;  and  if  they  received  reinforcements, 
serious  danger  might  be  incurred.  He  formed,  therefore,  the 
bold  but  able  resolution  of  carrying  the  war  into  South  Carolina, 
to  which  he  was  now  nearer  than  his  adversary,  and  where 
Lord  Rawdon  (afterwards  Marquis  of  Hastings)  had  been  left 
with  only  the  force  that  appeared  .^cessary  to  keep  down  in- 
surrection. Directing  his  march  immediately  to  this  quarter, 
he  had  made  some  progress  before  the  tidings  reached  Lord 
Cornwallis,  by  whom  this  movement  appears  to  have  been 
quite  unexpected.  He  now,  however,  considered  that  it  was 
impossible  to  reach  the  American  army  till  the  collision  had 
taken  place  between  it  and  Lord  Rawdon ;  and  if  the  latter 
should  retreat  upon  Charleston,  he  himself  could  reach  the 
scene  of  action  only  by  a  long  and  difficult  march,  crossing 
several  broad  rivers,  and  exposed  to  attack  in  disadvantageous 
positions.  He  resolved,  in  preference,  to  advance  in  the  oppo- 
site direction  upon  Virginia,  where,  uniting  himself  to  consider- 
able forces  already  assembled,  he  might  make  the  cause  de- 
cidedly preponderant.  He  hoped  thus  to  recall  Greene ;  or,  at 
all  events,  by  conquering  that  great  and  important  colony,  to 
secure  the  ultimate  subjugation  of  the  southern  states. 

Greene,  without  regard  to  the  movements  of  his  opponent, 
pushed  on  to  his  destination.  The  militia  having  either  deseited, 


THE    REVOLUTIi   N. 


319 


LORD   KAWUON. 


or  their  term  of  service  being  expired,  his  force  was  reduced  to 
eighteen  hundred  men ;  but  those,  in  fact,  included  all  on  whom 
he  could  ever  place  much  dependence.  Approaching  Can.den, 
he  found  it  occupied  by  Rawdon,  with  about  eight  hundred 
men,  the  other  troops  being  employed  upon  the  defence  of  de- 
tached posts ;  yet  his  position  was  judged  so  strong  as  to  allbrd 
no  hope  of  success  in  a  direct  attack.  The  object  aimed  at  was, 
by  throwing  out  detachments  which  might  capture  the  forts, 
and  cut  off  the  supplies  in  his  rear,  to  compel  him  gradually  to 
fall  back.  Lee,  for  this  purpose,  was  sent  with  a  strong  party 
to  co-operate  with  Marion  and  Sumpter.  The  English  general, 
seeing  the  hostile  troops  thus  reduced  to  about  fifteen  hundred, 
formed  the  bold  resolution  of  attacking  them.  Making  a  largo 
circuit  round  a  swamp,  he  came  upon  their  left  flank  quite 
unexpectedly,  while  the  soldiers  were  busied  in  cooking  and 
washing.  This  first  surprise  was  never  wholly  recovered ;  yet 
they  quickly  stood  to  their  arms,  and  formed  in  order  of  battle. 
They  had  even  gained  some  advantages,  when  the  1st  Mary- 
land regiment,  considered  the  flower  of  the  army,  and  which 
had  highly  distinguished  itself  both  at  Cowpens  and  Guildford, 
fell  into  confusion;  and  when  ordered  to  make  a  retrograde 


*,/l 


« 


r 

r 

m 


■  w 


SS!0 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


movement,  converted  it  into  a  complete  retreat.  The  other 
corps,  al8o,  Ixginniiig  to  give  ground,  Greene  thought  it  expe- 
dient to  cause  the  whole  to  retire.  The  loss  on  each  side  was 
about  two  hundred  and  sixty  killed  and  wounded ;  and  the 
Americans  carried  oiY  l\i\y  priwoncrs. 

Though  c()mi)ollod  to  retreat,  the  Americans  reaped  all  the 
advantages  of  this  victory.  The  triumph  of  the  British  was  nearly 
as  fatal  as  that  of  Pyrrhus.  Greene  could  still  maintain  his  posi- 
tion, and  support  the  detachments  operating  in  the  rear  of  his 
adversary.  Lee  and  Marion  proceeded  first  against  Fort 
Watson  on  the  Santee,  which  commanded  in  a  great  measure 
the  coninuinication  with  Charleston.  Having  neither  artillery 
nor  besieging  tools,  they  reared  a  tower  above  the  lovel  of  the 
rampart,  whence  their  rifle  fire  drove  the  defenders,  and  them- 
selves then  mounted  and  compelled  the  garrison  to  surrender. 
They  could  not,  however,  prevent  Colonel  Watson  from  leading 
five  hundred  men  to  reinforce  Lord  Rawdon,  who  then  advanced 
with  the  intention  of  bringing  Greene  again  to  action,  but  found 
him  fallen  back  upon  so  strong  a  position,  as  to  afibrd  no 
reasonable  hope  of  success.  His  lordship,  finding  his  convoys 
intercepted,  and  viewing  the  generally  insecure  state  of  his 
posts  in  the  lower  country,  considered  himself  under  at  least 
the  temporary  necessity  of  retreating  thither.  He  had  first  in 
view  the  relief  of  Motte's  House  on  the  Congaree ;  but  before 
reaching  it,  had  the  mortification  to  find  that,  with  the  garrison 
of  one  hundred  and  sixty-five,  it  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of 
Marion  and  Lee.  He  continued  his  march  to  Monk's  Corner, 
where  he  covered  Charleston  and  the  surrounding  country. 
The  partisan  chiefs  rapidly  seized  this  opportunity  of  attacking 
the  interior  posts,  and  reduced  successively  Orangeburg,  Granby 
on  the  Congaree,  and  Augusta,  the  key  of  Upper  Georgia.  In 
these  five  forts  they  made  eleven  hundred  prisoners.  The  most 
important  one,  however,  was  that  named  Ninety-six,  on  the 
Saluda,  defended  by  a  garrison  of  five  hundred  men.  Orders 
had  been  sent  to  them  to  quit  and  retire  downwards ;  but  the 
messenger  was  intercepted ;  and  Colonel  Cruger,  the  commander, 
•nade  the  most  active  preparations  for  its  defence.  Greene  con- 
sidered the  place  of  such  importance,  that  he  undertook  the 
siege  in  person,  with  a  thousand  regulars.     He  broke  ground 


I    i 


s 


THE   REVOLUTION. 


3P1 


before  it  on  the  night  of  the  23d  of  Mny,  and  though  mu'^h 
iimK'ded  by  a  miCL't'HKful  HiUly  on  the  following  chiy,  proceecl'd 
with  such  energy,  that  by  the  Ud  of  June,  the  wcond  ixinilN'l 
was  eonipleted,  and  the  garrison  suninionrd,  but  in  vain,  to 
surrender.  On  the  8th,  he  was  reinl'oreed  by  Lee,  fron»  the 
ca[)ture  of  Augusta;  and  though  he  encountered  a  most  gallant 
and  elfective  resistance,  trusted  that  the  place  must  in  due 
time  fall.  Three  days  after,  however,  ho  learned  that  Kawdon, 
having  received  a  reinforcement  from  Ireland,  was  in  fidl 
march  to  relieve  it,  and  had  balHed  the  attempts  of  Sumpter  to 
impede  his  i)rogress.  The  American  leader,  therefore,  feeling 
himself  unable  to  give  battle,  saw  no  prospect  of  carrying  the 
fortress  unless  by  storm.  On  the  18th,  an  attnck  against  tlie 
two  most  commanding  outworks  was  led  by  Lee  and  CamplM'll, 
the  former  of  whom  carried  his  point;  but  the  latter,  though 
he  penetrated  into  the  ditch,  and  maintained  his  party  there  for 
three-quarters  of  an  hour,  found  them  exj)osed  tc»  so  destructive 
a  fire  as  compelled  a  general  retreat.  Tlie  siege  was  imme- 
diately raised,  and  Lord  Rawdon,  on  the  21st,  entered  the  place 
in  triumph.  Being  again  master  of  the  fi«ld,  he  pressed  for- 
ward in  the  hope  of  bringing  his  antagonist  to  battle ;  but  the 
latter  rather  chose  to  fall  back  towards  the  distant  point  of 
Charlotte  in  Virginia,  while  Kawdon-  did  not  attempt  to  pursue 
him  beyond  the  Ennoree. 

Notwithstanding  this  present  superiority,  his  lordship, 
having  failed  in  his  hopes  of  a  decisive  victory,  and  viewing 
the  general  aspect  of  the  country,  considered  it  no  longer 
possible  to  attempt  more  than  covering  the  lower  districts  of 
South  Carolina.  He  therefore  fell  back  to  Orangeburg  on  the 
Edisto ;  and  though  he  attempted  at  first  to  maintain  Cruger 
with  a  strong  body  at  Ninety-six,  was  soon  induced  to  recall 
him.  Greene,  being  reinforced  by  one  thousand  men  under 
Marion  and  Sumpter,  reconnoitred  his  position,  but  judged  it 
imprudent  to  attack ;  and  both  armies,  exhausted  by  such  a 
series  of  active  movements,  took  an  interval  of  repose  during 
the  heat  of  the  season. 

Lord  Rawdon,  being  at  this  time  obliged  by  ill  health  to 
return  home,  left  the  army  under  Colonel  Stuart,  who,  to  cover 
the  lower  country,  occupied  a  position  at  the  point  where  the 


/ 


32L» 


THE   REVOLUTION. 


!i 


I    i 


,i    i 


Coiigaree  and  Wateree  unite  in  forming  the  Santee.  Greene, 
having  received  reinforcements  from  the  north,  and  collected  all 
his  partisan  detachments,  found  himself  strong  enough  to  try 
the  chance  of  battle.  His  approach  with  this  evident  view 
induced  the  other  party  to  retire  forty  miles  down  the  river,  to 
the  strong  post  of  Eutaw,  whither  the  American  immediately 
followed  by  slow  and  easy  marches.  On  the  8th  of  September, 
the  latter  determined  to  attack  the  British  camp,  placing  as 
usual  his  militia  in  front,  hoping  that  the  English,  in  beating 
and  pursuing  them,  would  at  least  get  into  confusion ;  but  from 
this  very  dread,  the  latter  had  been  warned  to  keep  their  posts 
till  ordered  to  move.  The  American  front,  however,  main- 
tained their  ground  better  than  usual,  and  the  British,  before 
beating  them,  became  heated,  and,  forgetful  of  the  warnings 
given,  pushed  forward  irregularly.  They  were  then  charged 
by  the  veterans  in  the  second  line,  and  after  a  very  severe 
struggle,  driven  off  the  field.  There  lay  in  their  way,  however, 
a  large  brick  building  and  adjacent  garden,  where  Stuart  placed 
a  strong  corps,  who  could  not  be  dislodged,  and  kept  up  a 
deadly  fire,  which  checked  the  victors,  enabling  the  retreating 
troops  to  be  formed  anew.  At  the  same  time,  Colonel  Wash- 
ington attacked  the  British  flank ;  but  finding  it  strongly 
posted  among  woods,  he  was  repulsed  with  loss,  and  himself 
taken  prisoner.  The  American  general,  seeing  no  hope  of 
making  any  further  impression,  retreated  to  his  previous  posi- 
tion. In  this  bloody  and  doubtful  battle,  both  parties  claim 
the  victory,  though  the  Americans  with  most  reason,  as  the 
general  result  was  greatly  to  their  advantage.  It  was  certainly 
far  from  decisive  ;  and  the  British  loss  of  eighty-five  killed  and 
six  hundred  and  eight  wounded,  was  much  greater  than  that 
of  the  Americans,  who  carried  oflf  also  above  two  hundred  pri- 
eoners.  The  British  commander,  conceiving  himself  unable  to 
maintain  so  advanced  a  position,  began  to  move  on  the  evening 
of  the  9th,  and  proceeded  down  to  Monk's  Corner,  Avhere  he 
merely  covered  Charleston  and  its  vicinity.  To  this  and  to 
Savannah  were  now  limited  British  authority,  which  had  lately 
extended  so  widely  over  the  southern  states. 

This  great  i-everse  was  brought  about  not  only  by  the  resolu- 
tion and  military  skill  of  General  Greene,  and  his  gallant  sub- 


/ 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


323 


Greene, 
ected  all 
:h  to  try 
int  view 
river,  to 
lediately 
3teraber, 
acing  as 
beating 
but  from 
eir  posts 
r,  main- 
h,  before 
varnings 
charged 
y  severe 
lowever, 
rt  placed 
spt  up  a 
jtreating 
5l  Wash- 
strongly 
himself 
hope  of 
ous  posi- 
es claim 

as  the 
ertainly 
lied  and 
tan  that 
ired  pri- 
nable  to 
evening 
Inhere  he 

and  to 
id  lately 

e  resolu- 
ant  sub- 


ordinates,  but  also  by  the  conduct  of  the  British  commanders 
towards  the  inhabitants  of  the  country.  Had  they  been  pro- 
parly  treated,  the  successes  of  Greene  would  scarcely  have 
3(3cured  so  complete  a  triumph.  But  the  persecution  of  many 
of  the  chief  families,  and  the  cruelty  of  Tarleton  and  the  tory 
leaders,  alienated  the  affections  of  the  people,  and  induced 
them  to  render  the  American  general  every  assistance  in  their 
power. 

In  the  belief  that  it  would  be  satisfactory  to  the  reader  to 
trace  this  eventful  campaign  in  the  south  continuously,  rather 
than  in  fragments  intermingled  with  other  subjects,  we  have 
thus  been  led  to  anticipate  the  order  of  time,  and  must  now  go 
back  to  trace  the  course  of  events  in  the  more  central  parts 
of  the  theatre  of  war. 

When  Clinton  sailed  for  the  south,  Knyphausen  was  left  in 
command  at  New  York,  with  instructions,  while  the  main 
theatre  of  action  continued  elsewhere,  to  maintain  a  merely 
defensive  position.  An  opportunity  was  thus  afforded,  which 
Washington  eagerly  desired  to  seize,  and  felt  the  more  tempting, 
as  during  the  intense  cold  of  the  succeeding  winter  all  the 
waters  around  New  York  and  its  adjacent  insular  posts  were 
frozen,  and  thus  rendered  accessible  to  a  land  force.  He  had 
the  mortification  to  find  that,  reduced  as  the  adverse  force 
was,  it  still  outnumbered  his  own,  which  was  besides  so  desti- 
tute of  food  and  clothing,  that  it  was  with  difficulty  kept 
together,  and  quite  unfit  for  any  laborious  movement.  The 
supplies  still  depended  on  the  states,  which  furnished  them  as 
scantily  and  precariously  as  ever;  while  a  new  plan  adopted 
of  making  the  requisitions  in  goods  rather  than  in  money, 
proved  still  more  cumbrous  and  inefficient.  Changes  were  made 
in  the  commissariat,  but  injudiciously,  and  without  any  good 
effect.  At  one  time,  Washington  only  preserved  his  army 
from  starving'  by  a  requisition  on  the  people  of  New  Jersey, 
rendered  effective  by  the  intimation  that  the  articles,  if  not 
forthcoming,  Avould  be  taken  by  force.  One  attack  was  made 
by  Lord  Stirling  against  a  detached  post  on  Staten  Island;  but 
he  found  it  too  well  guarded. 

The  army  for  1780  was  fixed  at  thirty-five  thousand  two 


hundred  and  eleven  men,  instead  of  which  the  actual  foro«j 


If 

if  I 
1 


ill! 


iin 


324 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


GERERAL  WATItl. 


under  arms  in  June,  did  not  exceed  five  thousand  five  hundred. 
Their  pay  was  five  months  in  arrear,  and  even  when  received 
was  scarcely  of  any  value,  through  the  depreciation  of  the  cur- 
rency. A  pledge  was  given  that  the  deficiency  from  this  source 
should  be  made  good  at  the  end  of  the  war ;  but  the  troops 
complained  that  this  availed  little  when  they  were  at  present 
without  the  means  of  subsistence. 

On  the  1st  of  January,  1780,  the  troops  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Ihie  paraded  under  arms,  and  declared  their  resolution  to 
obtain  relief  or  return  home.  General  Wayne  attempted  to 
recall  them  to  their  duty,  but  he  was  threatened  with  death, 
and  obliged  to  yield  to  the  mutinous  tide  of  feeling.  A  com- 
mittee of  Congress  was  appointed  to  confer  with  the  troops, 
and  at  length  they  were  induced  to  return  to  their  camp  at 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


325 


lundred. 
received 
the  cur- 
ls source 
le  troops 
present 

sjlvania 
ition  to 
ipted  to 
h  death, 
A  com- 
i  troops, 
camp  at 


Morristown.  Some  New  England  regiments  attempted  to 
follow  this  example  of  mutiny,  but  they  were  quieted  by  the 
determination  and  severity  of  General  Robert  Howe.  Knyp- 
hauseii  was  encouraged  to  make  offers  to  the  mutineers ;  but 
his  agents  were  delivered  over  to  the  American  authorities,  and, 
on  sending  a  strong  force  towards  Morristown,  he  found  the 
army  ready  to  give  him  battle.  His  present  policy  being  de- 
fensive, he  returned  to  his  former  quarters. 

On  the  18th  of  June,  Clinton  arrived  from  South  Carolina 
with  about  four  thousand  men, — an  event  which  caused  the 
greatest  alarm  to  General  Washington ;  and,  in  fact,  he  made 
another  excursion  in  this  quarter,  but  from  similar  motives  did 
not  advance  farther  then  Springfield.  He  did  not,  indeed,  not- 
withstanding the  weakness  of  the  American  army,  consider 
himself  in  a  condition  for  any  large  offensive  operation,  stating 
his  whole  force  at  twelve  thousand  men,  of  whom  nine  thousand 
three  hundred  were  fit  for  duty ;  and  after  garrisoning  the 
posts  in  and  round  New  York,  there  remained  scarcely  a  move- 
able body  of  five  thousand,  wholly  insufficient  for  penetrating 
to  any  depth  in  the  interior.  He  now,  therefore,  demanded  a 
reinforcement  of  ten  thousand,  before  he  could  hold  out  any 
hope  of  reducing  America  by  force  of  arms. 

An  event,  moreover,  had  by  this  time  been  announced,  which 
gave  a  new  turn  to  the  current  of  affairs.  The  Marquis  de 
Lafayette  had  embraced,  with  the  utmost  ardour,  the  cause  of 
the  Americans,  and  on  a  visit  to  his  native  country,  had  urged 
it  so  strongly  upon  his  court,  as  at  length  to  obtain  the  promise 
of  a  strong  fleet  and  army  to  co-operate  with  theirs.  These 
tidings,  brought  out  by  himself,  were  received  with  the  highest 
exultation  by  Congress,  who,  in  the  preceding  January,  had 
promised  to  the  French  minister  to  bring  forward  twenty-five 
thousand  men  and  abundant  supplies.  They  roused  themselves 
indeed  somewhat  from  the  torpor  into  which  they  had  sunk, 
and  made  urgent  requisitions  for  the  states  to  make  good  their 
quotas,  representing  the  disgrace  inevitably  incurred  if  the 
army  should  be  exhibited  to  their  allies  in  its  present  reduced 
state,  totally  incapable  of  any  effective  co-operation.  These 
remonstrances  had  an  effect  too  similar  to  those  which  had  pre- 
ceded ;  but  some  individual  spirit  was  kindled.  A  bank  was 
41 


1'MS«- 


•«' 


326 


/ 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


formed  at  Philadelphia,  under  the  auspices  of  Robert  Morris, 
and  £315,000  subscribed,  solely  to  supply  provisions  to  the 
troops ;  the  ladies  in  that  city  and  elsewhere  made  liljeral  con- 
tributions; but  these  means  did  not  go  far  in  relieving  the 
immense  wants  under  which  the  army  laboured.  . 

On  the  13th  of  July,  intelligence  was  received  that  the 
French  fleet  had  been  seen  off  the  capes  of  Virginia,  and  next 
day  that,  according  to  previous  arrangements,  thty  were  stand- 
ing into  the  harbour  of  Newport,  on  Rhode  Island.  About  six 
thousand  men,  under  the  Count  dc  Rochambeau,  were  escorted 
by  a  squadron  under  the  Chevalier  Ternay.  A  second  division 
was  at  Brest,  waiting  for  transports ;  out  it  was  afterwards 
blockaded  by  an  English  fleet,  and  never  reached  America. 
This  arrival,  while  it  gratified,  not  a  little  embarrassed  Wash- 
ington. All  the  recent  efforts  had  brought  only  a  thousand 
recruits,  and  he  laboured  under  extreme  uncertainty  as  to 
when  he  might  expect  more.  The  whole  combined  force  would 
not  exceed  that  now  strongly  fortified  in  New  York;  yet  he 
determined  to  propose  a  joint  attack  by  sea  and  land.  This 
arrangement,  however,  rested  upon  the  naval  superiority  which 
Ternay  at  first  possessed ;  but  it  was  transferred  to  the  other 
side  by  the  arrival  of  six  sail  under  Graves.  Clinton  was  even 
encouraged  to  make  an  attempt  upon  the  ships  and  troops  at 
Newport ;  but  delays  in  equipping  his  own  vessels  retarded  the 
movement  till  the  place  was  found  too  strongly  secured.  Hopes 
were  meantime  entertained  that  Admiral  de  Guichen,  from  the 
West  Indies,  would  re-establish  the  French  superiority;  but 
instead  of  him,  Rodney  arrived  with  a  squadron,  which  gave 
the  enemy  the  advantage  in  these  seas.  Rhode  Island,  during 
the  rest  of  the  season,  was  kept  closely  blockaded. 

An  occurrence  now  happened  which  excited  an  intense  in- 
terest throughout  the  union.  General  Arnold  had  been  a  most 
conspicuous  military  character  of  the  Revolution.  His  campaign 
in  Canada,  notwithstanding  its  misfortunes,  had  elevated  him  to 
the  highest  reputation.  Unluckily,  his  temper  and  manners, 
proud  and  overbearing,  raised  up  numerous  enemies,  who 
became  even  a  majority  in  Congress.  Hence,  when  an  exten- 
sive promotion  was  made,  he  was  passed  over,  and  five  officers, 
junior  in  the  service,  and  much  inferior  in  reputation,  were 


•t  Morris, 
ns  to  the 
Ixiral  con- 
Bving  the 

that  the 
and  next 
ere  stand- 
A.bout  six 
B  escorted 
d  division 
fterwards 
America, 
led  Wash- 
thousand 
ity  as  to 
Tce  would 
c;  yet  he 
id.  Thi8 
•ity  which 
the  other 
was  even 
troops  at 
arded  the 
d.    Hopes 

from  the 
►rity;  but 
bich  gave 
id,  during 

ntense  in- 
en  a  most 
campaign 
ed  him  to 
manners, 
lies,  who 
an  exten- 
^e  officers, 
ion,  were 


THE   REVOLUTION. 


327 


placed  over  his  head.  Washington  deeply  deplored  this  in- 
justice, and  remonstrated,  though  vainly,  against  it.  He  did 
everything  possible  to  soothe  the  wounded  pride  of  his  friend, 
whose  exploits  as  a  volunteer,  during  several  attacks  on  the 
coast  of  New  England,  were  so  very  splendid,  that  Congress 
granted  the  promotion  he  so  ardently  sought.  The  com- 
mander-in-chief then  procured  for  him  an  appointment  in 
the  army  sent  against  Burgoyne,  where  he  greatly  augmented 
his  reputation,  and  being  disabled  by  severe  wounds  for  field 
service,  obtained  from  the  same  authority  the  honourable  station 
of  commandant  in  Philadelphia.  Here,  however,  his  haughty 
bearing  brought  him  into  collision  with  the  members  of  Con- 
gress and  the  provincial  council  of  that  city.  He  made  a 
claim  for  reimbursement  of  advances  during  the  Canadian 
campaign,  which  was  alleged  by  his  enemies  to  be  exorbitant, 
and  even  fraudulent.  Its  amount  or  nature  being  nowhere 
stated,  it  is  difficult  to  judge;  but  there  is  reason  to  believe 
that  Arnold  had,  at  least,  laid  himself  open  to  the  suspicion  of 
the  really  patriotic.  Congress,  alleging  the  intricacy  of  the 
account,  delayed  the  settlement  from  time  to  time,  and  no 
part  was  ever  actually  paid.  This  was  the  more  harassing, 
as  an  extravagant  mode  of  living  had  involved  him  in  em- 
barrassments, which  he  sought  to  relieve  by  privateering  and 
commercial  speculation,  not  certainly  dishonest,  yet  considered 
unsuitable  to  his  rank  and  situation ;  and  being  unfortunate, 
they  aggravated  his  distress.  From  the  observation  of  these 
circumstances,  his  enemies  inferred  the  likelihood  of  his 
abusing,  for  corrupt  purposes,  the  powers  attached  to  his  com- 
mand. Eagerly  scanning  with  this  view  every  particular, 
the  city  council  presented  a  series  of  charges  to  Congress; 
but  a  committee  of  that  body  reported  that  nothing  criminal 
had  been  proved.  Among  its  members,  however,  then  violently 
rent  by  faction,  the  party  hostile  to  him  preponderated.  The 
report  of  their  own  committee  was  rejected,  and  a  new  one 
named,  composed  partly  of  the  accusing  council ;  yet,  as  even 
this  was  not  found  to  work  well,  the  affiiir  was  finally  referred 
to  a  court-martial.  The  great  difficulty  found  in  making  up 
a  plausible  accusation,  with  some  military  operations,  caused 
a  delay  of  more  than  a  year.     At  length,  on  the  26th  of 


l> 


328 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


u 


January,  1780,  the  court  pronounced  its  sentence,  finding  him 
guilty  of  two  charges, — that,  when  at  Valley  Forge,  he  had 
granted  protection  to  a  vessel  sailing  from  Philadelphia,  when 
it  was  somewhat  irregular  to  do  so ;  and  that  he  had  once 
employed  public  wagons  in  the  conveyance  of  private  property, 
though  paying  all  the  expenses.  Neither  act,  in  the  opinion 
of  the  court,  implied  any  criminal  intention ;  yet,  upon  these 
nugatory  grounds,  he  was  sentenced  to  be  publicly  reprimanded 
by  the  commander-in-chief.  That  great  man  could  not  escape 
the  unwelcome  task,  but  executed  it  in  the  most  delicate  pos- 
sible manner,  rendering  it,  indeed,  rather  a  panegyric  than  a 
censure.  He  recalled  Arnold's  great  actions,  and  promised 
fresh  opportunities  for  distinction ;  but  nothing  probably  could 
soothe  Arnold's  wounded  feelings  at  not  obtaining  that  full 
acquittal  to  which  he  thought  himself  entitled. 

Arnold  now  finally  determined  to  go  over  to  the  British 
cause.  The  purpose  was  carried  out  in  a  manner  which 
fully  justifies  the  Americans  in  branding  him  with  the  name 
of  traitor.  He  made,  perhaps,  too  large  personal  stipulations 
for  himself,  especially  if  they  included  a  sum  of  money ;  which, 
there  is  reason  to  believe,  was  the  case.  He  carried  on  a 
long  correspondence,  and  gave  information  to  the  British, 
while  he  held  office,  and  professed  zeal  in  the  American 
interest ;  lastly,  he  took  steps  now  to  be  narrated,  by  which 
no  man  of  honour  would  seek  to  support  even  the  best  of 
causes. 

His  object  was  to  obtain  possession  of  some  important  post, 
by  delivering  over  which  he  might  gain  high  credit  with  his 
new  employers ;  and  this  design  was  facilitated  by  the  great 
value  set  on  his  talents  by  the  commander-in-chief.  He  accord- 
ingly solicited  the  command  at  "West  Point,  the  key  of  all  the 
positions  on  the  Hudson,  and  by  which  the  two  wings  of  the 
army  mainly  communicated.  This  choice  surprised  Washing- 
ton, who  had  destined  him  for  leader  of  one  of  the  wings  of 
the  army,  as  likely  to  be  both  the  most  useful  and  most  agree- 
able to  his  ardent  temper;  however,  he  consented.  Arnold 
could  then  arrange  that,  while  the  place  appeared  perfectly 
secure,  there  miglit  be  left  an  unguarded  point  by  which  an 
enemy  could  enter.    Of  this  he  apprised  Major  Andr^,  with 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


329 


ding  him 
,  he  had 
lia,  when 
had  once 
property, 
e  opinion 
pon  these 
rimanded 
lot  escape 
licate  pos- 
ic  than  a 

promised 
ibly  could 

that  full 

le  British 
er  which 
the  name 
ipulations 
which, 
led  on  a 
British, 
American 
by  which 
3  best  of 

tant  post, 

;  with  his 

the  great 

le  accord- 

of  all  the 

gs  of  the 

Washing- 

I  wings  of 

lost  agree- 

Arnold 

perfectly 

which  an 

dr^,  with 


// 


OAPTUM  or  ANDRE. 


whom  he  had  all  along  corresponded,  at  the  same  timo  soliciting 
and  pointing  out  means  for  a  meeting  within  thu  American 
lines.  This  was  eflfected  after  some  difficulty,  and  all  the 
necessary  arrangements  were  then  made.  CircumHtftncOH  obliged 
the  English  officer  to  return  by  a  circuitous  route;  but, 
with  an  escort  and  Arnold's  passport,  he  succeeded  in  pawHing 
safely  all  the  hostile  guards,  and  had  reached  a  sort  of  neutral 
ground,  where  he  appeared  quite  safe.  Suddenly  throe  men 
rushed  out  from  a  wood,  stopped  his  horse,  and  nio  prenented 
a  pistol  to  his  breast ;  when,  erroneously  sup;  using  tlicm  to  bo 
British,  he  rashly  betrayed  his  own  character.  Tlioy  then 
searched  his  person,  and  found  papers  containing  all  the  par- 
ticulars of  the  plot,  which,  along  with  the  prisoner,  were  carried 
to  Colonel  Jameson,  the  nearest  commandant,  who,  bewildered 
and  unable  to  see  the  bearings  of  the  affiiir,  sent  expresses  at 
once  to  Washington  and  to  Arnold  himself.  The  latter  received 
his  while  at  breakfast,  and  waiting  a  visit  of  inspeetion  from 
the  commander.  He  suppressed  his  emotion,  and  liaving  taken 
a  hurried  and  agonizing  leave  of  his  wife,  ran  down  to  the  river, 
threw  himself  into  a  boat,  and  by  urgency  and  promises,  in- 
duced the  men  to  row  him  down  with  the  utmost  rapidity  till 
he  got  on  board  a  British  vessel.  Washington  was  not  ft  little 
surprised  on  arriving  not  to  find  Arnold,  of  whom  nothing  could 

2E 


5*^, 


Vx 


Ik 


it 


830 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


ii^4 


MAJOR  ANDRK. 


be  learned  during  the  whole  forenoon.  At  four  he  received 
Jameson's  despatch,  when  he  is  said  to  have  displayed  the 
utmost  self-possession,  only  saying  to  Lafayette^  "  Whom  can 
we  trust  now  ?" 

Andre,  thus  placed  in  the  power  of  his  enemies,  was  con- 
sidered the  most  rising  young  officer  in  the  British  army. 
After  a  few  years'  service,  Clinton  had  appointed  him  adjutant- 
general,  and  he  had  every  prospect  of  rising  to  the  highest 
commands.  His  brilliant  accomplishments,  amiable  temper, 
and  engaging  manners,  rendered  him  the  idol  of  his  brother 
officers.  With  a  noble,  though  imprudent  frankness,  he  wrote 
to  Washington  a  statement  of  all  the  circumstances,  not  seem- 
ingly dreading  that  he  would  be  treated  otherwise  than  as  a 
prisoner  of  war.  That  commander,  however,  submitted  the 
case  to  a  council  of  fourteen  general  officers,  who  decided  that 
he  ought  to  be  considered  as  a  spy,  and  as  such  to  suffer  death. 
The  justice  of  the  sentence  seems  indubitable,  since  the  only 
plea  offered,  that  he  came  at  the  desire  and  under  the  flag  of 
an  American  general,  appears  futile  when  the  well  known  pur- 
pose is  considered.  Clinton  lavished  offers  of  exchange,  and 
Arnold  wrote  a  violent  letter,  threatening  bloody  reprisals; 
but  this  rather  injured  the  cause.  The  only  overture  made  was 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


331 


'S. 


J  received 
layed  the 
/^hom  can 

was  con- 
ish  army. 

adjutaut- 
le  highest 
temper, 
is  brother 

he  wrote 

not  seem- 

than  as  a 
litted  the 
cided  that 
O'er  death. 
)  the  only 
18  flag  of 
lown  pur- 
lange,  and 

reprisals ; 

made  was 


to  take  the  latter  himself  in  exchange,  to  which,  of  course, 
Clinton  would  never  listen.  The  captive  met  his  doom  with  a 
gentle  and  heroic  fortitude,  admired  even  by  those  who  con- 
demned him. 

During  the  winter,  Washington  was  indefatigable  in  urgin;: 
Congress  and  the  states  to  take  measures  for  rendering  the  arm y 
somewhat  efficient.  His  remonstrances,  with  the  shame  of  a 
palpable  failure  before  their  great  ally,  roused  them  to  a  certain 
degree  of  activity.  But  their  finances  were  in  a  more  desperate 
state  than  ever.  Their  paper  had  ceased  to  bear  any  value ; 
their  credit  was  entirely  exhausted ;  the  taxes  which  could  hv 
levied  on  the  people  were  of  small  amount,  slow  and  uncertain 
in  collection.  There  remained  no  possible  resource  unless  from 
foreign  courts,  to  whom  they  had  already  made  application. 
Mr.  Jay,  nevertheless,  was  sent  to  Spain,  which,  having 
recently  joined  the  confederacy,  and  professed  great  friendship 
for  the  new  republic,  was  expected  to  grant  some  assistance. 
That  gentleman,  however,  soon  warned  his  employers  that 
the  favour  of  this,  as  of  other  courts,  rested  solely  upon 
interes^t,  or  even  the  whim  or  caprice  of  statesmen.  Congress, 
in  this  extremity,  sent  over  on  a  special  mission  to  France, 
Colonel  Laurens,  who,  by  presenting,  contrary  to  etiquette,  a 
memorial  in  person  to  the  king,  and  even  hinting  to  the  minister 
that  America  might  otherwise  be  obliged  to  join  Britain,  ob- 
tained a  subsidy  of  six  million  livres,  with  a  further  sum  by 
way  of  loan,  and  guarantee  for  a  Dutch  loan  of  five  million 
guilders.  This  was  intimated  to  be  the  very  last  pecuniary 
aid  that  could  be  granted ;  but  it  relieved  the  present  urgency. 

Washington  had  also  the  satisfaction  of  prevailing  upon 
Congress  to  promise  half-pay  to  the  officers  at  the  end  of  the 
war,  and  to  enlist  troops  only  for  its  whole  duration.  The 
states  were  also  urged  to  make  up  the  army  to  the  number  of 
thirty-seven  thousand  by  the  1st  of  January,  1781,  and  the 
commander  hoped  that  something  approaching  to  the  half  of 
that  number  might  have  been  assembled.  By  the  1st  of  June, 
whoever,  the  whole  fell  short  of  eight  thousand ;  yet  he  deter- 
mined, with  the  aid  of  the  French,  to  press  forward  ofiensive 
operations,  considering  it,  in  the  present  state  of  the  Union,  of 
the  very  last  importance  that  the  contest  should  be  brought  to 


I 


ti     l*l:il 


832 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


ROOHAHBRAV. 


a  speedy  period.  Having,  in  the  beginning  of  July,  been  joined 
by  the  French  army  under  Rochambeau,  he  projected  an  attempt 
to  surprise  the  posts  defending  the  northern  part  of  New  York 
Island.  The  approach  was  made  on  two  different  points  ;  but 
want  of  concert,  and  the  prepared  state  of  the  British,  rendered 
the  attempt  abortive.  The  American  commander,  then,  learn- 
ing that  a  reinforcement  of  three  thousand  Hessians  had  ar- 
rived in  New  York,  gave  up  all  hopes  of  carrying  that  capital, 
and  turned  his  views  in  another  direction. 

Virginia  had  insensibly,  as  it  were,  become  a  principal  theatre 
of  war.  Leslie,  as  already  observed,  had  been  sent  thither  to 
reinforce  Comwallis,  who,  it  was  hoped,  might  penetrate 
through  the  Carolinas ;  but  after  Ferguson's  disaster,  he  was 
ordered  to  go  round  bv  Charleston.  With  the  view,  however, 
of  creating  a  diversion  in  favour  of  the  southern  army,  Clinton, 
in  December,  1780,  sent  Arnold  with  sixteen  hundred  men  to 
the  Chesapeake.  That  officer,  displaying  all  his  wonted 
activity,  overran  a  great  extent  of  country,  and  captured  Rich- 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


833 


n  joined 

attempt 

w  York 

its;  but 

rendered 

n,  learn- 

had  ar- 

capital, 

theatre 
lither  to 
enetrate 

he  was 
lowever, 
Clinton, 

men  to 

wonted 
ed  Rich- 


mond, the  capital,  destroying  great  quantities  of  stores.  Wahh- 
iugtun.  must  anxious  to  strike  a  blow  against  him,  prevailed 
upon  Destouches,  the  French  admiral,  to  proceed  thither  with 
a  land-force  ;  but  the  latter  was  overtaken  by  Arbuthnot,  and 
endured  a  hard  battle,  which,  though  not  admitted  to  be  a 
defeat,  obliged  him  to  return.  Clinton,  still  with  the  same 
view,  sent  another  force  of  two  thousand  men,  under  General 
Phillips,  which  arrived  in  the  Chesapeake  on  the  26th  of  March. 
This  officer,  being  complete  master  of  the  field,  overran  the 
country  between  the  James  and  York  rivers,  seized  the  large 
town  of  Petersburg,  as  also  Chesterfield  courthouse,  the  militia 
rendezvous,  and  other  stations,  destroying  great  quantities  of 
shipping  and  stores,  with  all  the  warehoused  tobacco.  L  "fay- 
ette  being  sent  against  him,  added  to  his  force  about  two 
thousand  militia,  and  succeeded  by  good  dispositions  in  securing 
Richmond.  Operations  seemed  at  a  stand,  when  intelligence 
was  received  of  Cornwallis's  march  into  this  territory  ;  and,  in 
spite  of  every  efflirt  of  the  French  general,  he,  in  the  end  of 
May,  joined  Phillips  at  Petersburg,  taking  the  command  of  the 
whole  army.  Being  then  decidedly  superior,  he  took  possession 
of  Richmond,  and  began  a  hot  pursuit  of  Lafayetto,  who 
retreated  into  the  upper  country  so  rapidly  and  so  skilfully, 
that  he  could  not  be  overtaken.  The  English  general  then 
turned  back,  and  sent  a  detachment  under  Colonel  Simcoe,  who 
destroyed  the  chief  magazine  at  the  junction  of  the  two  branches 
of  James  River.  Tarleton  pushed  his  cavalry  so  swiftly  upon 
Charlotteville,  where  the  state  assembly  was  met,  that  seven 
members  were  taken,  and  the  rest  very  narrowly  escaped. 
Lafiiyette,  however,  now  returned  with  a  considerable  force, 
and,  by  his  manoeuvres,  induced  the  British  commander  to 
retire  to  Williamsburg.  He  afterv;ards  continued  his  retreat 
to  Portsmouth,  in  the  course  of  which  the  former  made  au 
attack,  but  was  repulsed,  without,  however,  sustaining  a 
severe  loss. 

Under  the  apprehension  inspired  by  the  threatening  move- 
ments of  Washington  and  the  French  army  against  New  York. 
Clinton  had  ordered  a  considerable  reinforcement  from  Virginia, 
but  countermanded  it  on  receiving  new  instructions,  along  with 
an  additional  body  of  troops.  He  had  formed  apparently  a 
42  2e2 


J** 


1^1 

'A 

■1S 


!i 


TUE   REVOLUTION. 


favourite  plan.  It  is  nowhere  distinctly  developed  in  his 
letters ;  but  by  a  paswago  in  one,  very  active  operations  were 
proposed  at  the  head  of  the  Cliesapeaito,  to  be  combined  pro- 
bably with  a  movement  from  New  Yorit,  and  comprehending 
Philadelpiiia  and  Baltimore.  Aware  that  this  plan  required 
the  maritime  ef)nmiand  of  that  great  inlet,  he  inquired  if 
ministers  would  insure  its  maintenance ;  and  they  made  this 
engagement  without  duly  considering  its  difficulties.  Under 
these  views,  he  directed  Cornwadia  to  occupy  and  fortify  a 
naval  position  at  the  entrance  of  the  bay,  specially  recommend- 
ing Old  I'uint  Comfort,  at  the  mouth  of  Jamoa  River.  This 
measure  did  not  harmonize  with  Cornwallis's  views :  however, 
he  obeyed ;  but  the  above  position  being  declared  by  the 
engineers  indefensible,  he  recommended,  in  preference,  York- 
town,  on  the  river  of  that  name;  which  was  agreed  to,  and 
operations  actively  commenced.  < 

Washington,  meantime,  had  been  meditating  movements  in 
Virginia,  and  had  solicited  De  Grasse,  then  in  the  West  Indies, 
to  secure  for  him  at  letst  a  temporary  command  of  the 
Chesapeiike.  After  the  failure  of  his  efforts  and  hopes  in  regard 
to  New  York,  this  became  his  main  object.  With  the  highest 
satisfaction  he  received  the  intimation,  that,  on  the  3d  of 
August,  the  French  admiral,  with  above  twenty-five  ships  of 
the  line  and  three  thousand  two  hundred  troops,  would  sail  for 
the  Chesapeake,  and  remain  there  till  the  middle  of  October. 
No  hesitation  was  then  made  in  commencing  a  movement 
upon  Virginia  with  the  whole  French  army  and  a  strong  de- 
tachment of  the  American.  It  v-as  impossible  that  so  great  a 
movement  could  be  concealed;  but  the  utmost  pains  were 
taken  to  lead  Clinton  into  the  belief  that  its  object  was  New 
York.  This  was  the  less  difficult,  as  the  American  commander's 
aims  and  efforts  had  long  been  really  turned  in  that  direction, 
and  his  opponent  had  felt  extremely  sensitive  on  that  subject. 
The  crossing  of  the  Hudson,  and  the  march  down  its  right 
bank,  might  have  been  undertaken  with  either  design.  Letters 
were  written,  and  contrived  to  be  intercepted,  tending  to  con- 
firm the  deception.  It  was  not  till  the  31st  of  August,  that 
the  allied  force  took  their  direct  route  to  the  Chesapeake :  they 
had  then  an  easy  march  to  the  head  of  that  estuary,  down 


in  his 
ns  were 
jed  pro 
hending 
[tj(iuirud 
uired  if 
[ide  this 

Under 
ibrtify  a 
rnnit'nd- 
r.  This 
iowever, 

by  the 
e,  York- 

to,  and 

mcnta  in 
t  Indies, 
,  of  the 
n  regard 
highest 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


S3G 


3d  of 
ships  of 
i  sail  for 
October, 
ovement 
Tong  de- 
)  great  a 
ns  were 
vas  New 
nander's 
irection, 

subject, 
its  right 

Letters 
g  to  con- 
ust,  that 
ce :  they 
y,  down 


DATTLR    BRTWEBN   THB    rnSNCII    AND    RNOMRII    ri.KDT^. 

which  they  would  be  conveyed  in  transports  to  Lord  Corn- 
wallis's  position,  wliich  could  be  reached  from  New  York  only 
amid  the  uncertainties  of  a  maritime  voyage,  and  the  access,  it 
was  lioped,  blocked  up  by  a  superior  fleet.  In  fact,  De  Grasse, 
with  twenty-eight  sail  of  the  line,  had  entered  it  in  the  end  of 
August.  Rodney  had  been  opposed  to  him  in  tlie  West  Indies ; 
but,  imagining  that  a  great  part  of  the  French  fleet  must  have 
been  sent  to  protect  a  convoy  going  to  Europe,  he  himself  took 
that  direction,  and  sent  only  fourteen  sail,  under  Admiral 
Hood,  to  New  York.  That  officer  there  came  under  the  com- 
mand of  his  .senior.  Admiral  Graves,  who,  having  nineteen 
vessels,  hesitated  not  to  sail  for  the  Chesapeake,  to  attack  the 
superior  force  of  De  Grasse.  He  found  it  ranged  across  the 
entrance,  and  an  obstinate  contest  ensued,  with  various  and  on 
the  whole  indecisive  results.  Then,  however,  Barras  from 
Newport  bi*ought  a  reinforcement,  which  rendered  the  French 
force  so  decidedly  superior,  that  Graves  was  obliged  to  return. 
Amid  all  these  movements,  it  was  not  till  the  6th  of  Septem- 
ber that  Clinton  became  fully  aware  of  Washington's  destina- 
tion, and  of  the  extreme  danger  to  which  Cornwallis  would 
thus  be  exposed.  He  then  wrote  to  that  nobleman,  pointi»«5 
out  the  circumstances,  and  proposing,  as  the  only  mode  of  re- 


%. 


I 


336 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


lieving  him,  tliat  he  himself  should  sail  from  New  York,  and 
join  him  with  a  reinforcement  of  four  thousand  troops.  This 
course  implied  that  the  Virginia  army  should  meantime  remain 
on  the  defensive  in  its  present  position. 

Cornwallis  continued,  therefore,  in  his  position  at  Yorktown, 
while  perils  thickened  around  him.  Washington,  dreading 
chiefly  the  march  southward,  directed  Lafayette  to  take  post 
at  Williamsburg,  where  he  himself  arrived  on  the  14  th  of 
September.  Colonel  Tarleton  urged  an  attack  upon  this 
force  while  still  inferior  to  the  British ;  but  this  was  declined ; 
and  indeed  it  should  seem  that  such  able  commanders  would 
easily  have  avoided  fighting  in  a  disadvantageous  position 
by  retreating  behind  the  broad  estuary  of  James  River.  The 
successive  divisions,  descending  the  Chesapeake,  continued  to 
arrive  at  Williamsburg,  where,  on  the  25th  of  September,  the 
last  of  them  landed,  raising  the  army  to  seven  thousand  French, 
five  thousand  five  hundred  American  regulars,  and  three 
thousand  five  hundred  militia.  On  the  28th,  this  force  broke 
up  and  moved  towards  York,  which  the  British  commander 
had  been  diligently  fortifying,  while  a  smaller  post  was  main- 
tained at  Gloucester,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  He  had 
fi)rnied  an  outer  circuit  of  intrenched  lines  ;  but  these,  during 
the  evening  of  the  29th,  he  abandoned,  retiring  within  the  body 
of  the  fort.  This  movement  surprised  Washington,  and  is  also 
disapproved  by  Tarleton,  who  thinks  he  might  have  gained 
time  by  maintaining  this  exterior  position.  He  had  just,  how- 
ever, received  a  letter  from  Clinton,  intimating  a  full  expecta- 
tion of  sailing  on  the  5th  of  October,  or  at  most,  two  or  three 
days  later;  and  judging  the  works  fully  sufficient  to  hold  out 
till  his  arrival,  dreaded  loss  and  peril  from  encountering,  even 
within  lines,  so  superior  an  enemy. 

The  operations  of  the  besieging  army  were  confined  to  a  strict 
blockade  till  the  6th  of  October,  when  the  artillery  and  military 
stores  arrived  in  the  camp.  On  the  evening  of  that  day  tho 
first  parallel  was  begun  in  silence  and  caution,  and  before 
morning  was  so  far  advanced  as  in  a  great  measure  to  cover  the 
troops.  All  being  felt  to  depend  upon  rapidity,  operations 
were  pushed  with  the  utmost  ardour,  and  the  two  nations  were 
incited  to  deeds  of  valour.    By  the  10th,  the  fire  had  become 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


337 


rk,  and 
.  This 
remain 

rktown, 
reading 
ke  post 
.4th  of 
on  this 
jclined ; 
8  would 
position 
r.  The 
nued  to 
ber,  the 
French, 
i  three 
e  broke 
iinander 
s  main- 
He  had 

during 
he  body 
i  is  also 

gained 
St,  how- 
xpecta- 
)r  three 
lold  out 


hg,  even 


)  a  strict 
military 
day  the 
before 
3ver  the 
erations 
ms  were 
become 


most  formidable ;  a  number  of  the  batteries  were  silenced,  and 
a  frigate  and  three  transports  in  the  harbour  set  on  fire  and 
consumed.  On  the  night  of  the  11th,  the  second  parallel  was 
commenced,  and  had  the  same  success  as  the  first,  of  being 
undiscovered  till  morning  Three  days  were  devoted  to  its 
completion ;  but  the  British,  having  with  great  labour  opened 
several  new  batteries,  then  poured  in  a  most  destructive  fire. 
That  in  particular  from  two  redoubts  was  so  terrible,  that  with- 
out carrying  them,  the  siege  could  not  be  prosecuted.  This 
grand  operation  was  fixed  for  the  night  of  the  14th,  when  one 
fort  was  undertaken  by  the  French,  under  the  Baron  de 
Viomenil,  the  other  by  the  Americans  under  Lafayette,  aided 
by  Colonels  Hamilton  and  Laurens.  The  latter  rushed  on  with 
such  impetuosity,  that,  without  firing  a  gun,  they  soon  carried 
the  post,  making  twenty  prisoners,  though  losing  forty  killed 
and  wounded.  The  French  encountered  a  stronger  resistance, 
and  suffered  the  loss  of  about  a  hundred,  but  finally  carried 
their  redoubt  also. 

Cornwallis  iiow  perceived  that  a  fatal  crisis  was  rapidly 
approaching.  He  endeavoured  to  retard  it  by  a  sally,  on  the 
morning  of  the  16th,  of  three  hundred  and  fifty  men  under 


■r: 


338 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


BVRItKHSBR  Or  CORKWALLII. 


1:     M 


Colonel  Abercrombie,  who  carried  the  two  most  advanced  bat- 
teries, but  could  not  retain  them  for  a  sufficient  time  to  com- 
plete their  destruction.  On  the  following  night,  it  was  deter- 
mined to  cross  to  the  northern  bank,  and  endeavour  to  force  a 
way  by  land  to  New  York.  The  boats  were  collected  with  the 
greatest  secrecy,  the  embarkation  completed,  and  even  the 
landing  commenced,  when  a  violent  tempest  of  wind  and  rain 
interrupted  the  movement,  and  obliged  the  troops  to  employ  all 
their  efforts  in  regaining  the  fortress.  On  the  following  day. 
all  the  batteries  of  the  second  parallel  were  finished,  and  began 
to  play  with  such  tremendous  eflfect,  that,  in  the  opinion  of  the 
officers  and  engineers,  the  place  was  no  longer  tenable.  Com- 
wallis  therefore  opened  a  negotiation  for  surrender,  on  the  basis 
of  the  garrison  being  sent  to  Europe  and  remaining  on  parole 
until  released  or  exchanged ;  but  Washington  would  admit  only 
of  unconditional  surrender.  It  was  agreed,  however,  that  the 
officers  should  be  allowed  the  honours  of  war,  with  their  arras 
and  baggage ;  and  that  the  Bonetta  sloop  of  war  should  be  per- 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


339 


mitted  to  go  unsearched,  with  the  understood  view  of  placing 
m  security  those  civil  officers  who  had  rendered  themselves 
obnoxious  to  the  United  States  government.  On  these  condi- 
tions, the  capitulation  was  signed  on  the  morning  of  the  19th. 
The  prisoners  surrendered  were  seven  thousand  and  seventy- 
three,  of  whom,  however,  only  four  thousand  and  seventeen 
were  fit  for  duty. 

Clinton,  meantime,  had  not  been  forgetful  of  his  promises ; 
but  the  fleet  had  been  so  much  shattered  in  the  late  engage- 
ment, that  some  preparation  was  necessary  to  fit  it  for  sailing. 
It  was,  however,  resolved,  at  a  general  meeting  both  of  the 
military  and  naval  commanders,  that  the  5th  of  October  should 
be  fixed  as  the  period  for  this  movement ;  and  he  had  therefore 
a  reasonable  expectation  of  fulfilling  his  promise.  On  the  28th 
of  September,  he  addressed  a  letter  to  Admiral  Graves  on  this 
important  point,  who  replied  that  the  fleet  could  not  sail  till 
the  8th ;  terms  which  did  not  indeed  imply  a  positive  pledge 
for  that  day,  yet  gave  reason  to  hope  that  it  would  not  be  much 
exceeded.  It  did  not,  however,  depart  till  the  19th,  the  very 
day  on  which  the  capitulation  was  signed. 

This  catastrophe,  like  that  of  Burgoyne,  was  felt  less  from 
the  actual  amount  of  loss  sustained,  than  from  the  impression 
which  it  made  upon  the  public  mind  of  Europe.  In  Britain, 
the  popular  feeling  had  been  raised  above  former  disasters  by 
indignation  against  the  league  of  the  continental  powers,  and 
by  the  brilliant  promises  which  the  successes  in  the  southern 
colonies  seemed  to  afford.  During  the  session  of  1780-1781, 
indeed,  Mr.  Fox,  who  now  figured  as  leader  of  opposition,  pre- 
dicted that  these  would  be  very  ephemeral,  and  repelled  any 
expectation  of  finally  recovering  the  lost  colonies.  Ministers, 
however,  were  still  confident,  and  generally  supported  by  the 
nation.  In  the  course  of  the  year  1781,  however,  the  horizon 
of  Europe  assumed  a  different  aspect.  A  commercial  treaty  and 
other  connexions  formed  by  Holland  with  the  colonies  led  to  a 
declaration  of  war  against  her,  involving  a  consequent  collision 
with  almost  the  whole  naval  power  of  the  continent.  The 
Empress  of  Russia,  taking  advantage  of  the  state  of  affairs, 
placed  herself  at  the  head  of  what  was  termed  the  armed 
neutrality,  having  in  view  to  limit  the  right  of  search  hitherto 


840 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


CHARLES  JAMIS  rOX. 


VH 


1 


HI 


^- 


exercised  by  Great  Britain ;  and  though  this  did  not  lead  to 
any  actual  hostility,  it  rendered  the  situation  of  the  country 
still  more  critical. 

When,  to  the  severe  pressure  thus  caused,  was  added  the 
disastrous  intelligence  from  the  new  continent,  there  arose  in 
the  nation  a  cry  for  peace  and  for  the  recognition  of  American 
independence,  as  vehement  as  formerly  for  war  and  supremacy. 

After  a  short  struggle  against  the  popular  current,  Lord 
North  resigned.  A  new  ministry  was  formed  under  the  pre- 
miership of  the  Marquis  of  Rockingham.  Russia  having  offered 
her  mediation,  the  United  States  Congress  sent  Jay,  Laurens, 
and  Jefferson,  to  co-operate  with  Adams  and  Franklin  in 
negotiations  for  peace.  They  were  instructed  not  to  treat, 
except  in  conjunction  with  the  French  officials,  and  upon  no 
other  basis  than  the  absolute  recognition  of  the  independence 
of  the  United  States.  The  negotiations  were  carried  on  at 
Paris.  Mr.  Oswald  represented  the  British  goiremment.  On 
the  30th  of  November,  1782,  a  treaty  was  signed  by  the  Ameri- 
can commissioners,  independent  of  the  French  minister,  and  the 
joyful  news  of  peace  was  sent  to  both  the  mother  country  and 
the  states.  On  the  20th  of  January,  1783,  the  preliminary 
treaty  was  signed  between  France,  Spain,  and  Great  Britain, 
and  on  the  3d  of  September,  the  definitive  treaties  of  all  the 


THE    RKVOLUTION. 


S41 


lead  to 
country 

ded  the 
arose  in 
merican 
remacy. 
t,  Lord 
the  pre- 

offered 
iaurens, 
iklin  in 
treat, 
ipon  no 
endence 
on  at 
at.     On 

Ameri- 
and  the 

try  and 
iminary 
Britain, 

all  the 


GENKRAL  OARLETOH. 


powers  were  signed  together.    That  of  America  was  ratified  by 
Congress  on  the  14th  of  January,  1784. 

Sir  Guy  Carleton,  who  had  succeeded  Sir  Henry  Clinton  in 
the  chief  command  of  the  British  forces,  then  superintended 
the  evacuation  of  the  country,  by  his  troops.  The  American 
army  was  disbanded,  Washington  retired  to  private  life,  with 
true  greatness  of  spirit,  and  the  independence  of  the  States 
was  achieved.  The  cause  for  which  the  patriots  had  so  nobly 
struggled  was  triumphant.  A  new  nation  had  asserted  its 
power  to  maintain  the  freedom  of  its  firesides,  and  now  com- 
menced a  career  of  glory. 


m  I 


t,  I 


\ 


!li!( 


\ 


A    WESTKRN    HUNTUn. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

INDIAN  WARS    OF   THE   WEST. 

HE  causes  of  the  long  and  bloody  wars 
between  the  pioneers  of  the  West  and  the 
Indians  have  been  variously  stated.  Hos- 
tility to  the  advance  of  a  people,  who 
deprived  the  savage  tribes  of  their  fair 
and  extensive  hunting  grounds  was,  doubt- 
less, the  most  influential  of  the  motives 
to  take  up  the  hatchet;  but  the  representations  and  the  pay 
of  those  who  claimed  to  be  civilized,  but  who  were  willing  to 
use  any  means  of  injuring  the  republican  settlers,  were  impulses 
riearly  as  powerful.  It  may  be  true,  as  is  asserted,  that  the 
land.}  of  the  west  were  not  fairly  bought  from  the  Indians,  that 

^842) 


odj  wars 
t  and  the 
ed.  Hos- 
ple,  who 
their  fair 
as,  doubt- 
motives 
the  pay 
willing  to 
impulses 
that  the 
ans,  that 
42) 


CAPTCRB  or  BOOHB. 


(848) 


INDIAN  WABS  OF  THE  WEST. 


346 


they  were  always  compelled  to  sell,  and  then  did  not  receive 
any  approach  to  a  consideration ;  and  if  this  be  so,  they  wero 
surely  justified  in  fighting  for  the  regions  where  reposed  the 
bones  of  their  ancestors  and  relatives ;  such  conduct  has  always 
been 'admired  by  the  civilized  portion  of  mankind.  In  many 
cases,  however,  the  Indians  fought  for  land  they  had  never 
occupied,  and  to  which,  consequently,  they  could  have  no  claim. 
The  instigations  of  renegade  white  men,  and  the  outrages  com- 
mitted by  some  of  the  more  reckless  borderers,  may  be  added 
to  the  causes  of  Indian  hostility  in  the  West. 

The  early  French  adventurers  in  the  West  may  have  visited 
the  borders  of  Kentucky;  but  we  have  no  evidence  of  their 
attempting  to  explore  that  wild  region.  Perhaps  the  first 
Englishman  wh*-  reached  it,  was  Colonel  James  Smith,  who 
was  made  prisoner  by  the  Indians.  In  1767,  John  Finley 
visited  Kentucky,  and  enga^d  in  a  trade  with  the  red  men. 
At  that  time,  this  region  was  kn^wn  as  the  "Bloody  Ground." 
The  forests  swarmed  with  the  finest  game,  and  the  northern 
and  southern  tribes  came  to  hunt  here.  Fierce  contests  were 
frequent,  and  hence  the  name  of  the  country.  On  Finley's 
return  to  North  Carolina,  he  represented  Kentucky  as  another 
Eden.  His  account  of  his  expedition  fired  Daniel  Boone  and 
others,  who  resolved  to  set  oflf  for  the  beautiful  wilderness. 
With  five  companions,  Boone  started  on  the  1st  of  May,  1769. 
On  the  7th  of  June,  they  reached  the  point  to  which  Finley 
had  journeyed  two  years  before,  and  there  they  encamped  and 
engaged  in  hunting  and  exploration.  At  that  time,  Boone  was 
in  the  prime  of  life,  possessed  pf  great  boc'ily  strength  and 
activity,  and  skilled  in  woodcraft. 

On  the  22d  of  December,  Boone  and  his  friend  Stuart  were 
captured  by  a  large  party  of  Indians.  They  remained  in 
captivity  a  week,  and  then  contrived  to  escape.  Their  four 
companions  had  in  the  mean  time  returned  home.  In  a  short 
time,  Boone's  brother  and  another  man  joined  the  adventurers. 
But  the  confidence  inspired  by  increased  numbers  did  not  con- 
tinue  long.  The  Indians  displayed  unquenchable  hostility. 
Stuart  was  killed  by  them.  The  man  who  had  accompanied 
Squire  Boone  returned  to  North  Carolina,  and  the  brothers 
were  left  alone  in  the  wilderness.    When  their  stock  of  ammu- 

2B 


346 


INDIAN   WARS  OF  THE   WEST. 


11 


:fU 


ft<:l  I 


'••«  I 


nition  was  reduced,  Squire  Boone  returned  to  the  settlements 
for  a  new  supply,  and  Daniel  spent  three  months  alone  in 
Kentucky.  In  March,  1771,  these  daring  brothers  went  to 
North  Carolina,  and  made  up  a  party  for  a  settlement  in  the 
wilderness. 

The  pioneers  started  from  the  Yadkin  on  the  25th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1773.  There  were  six  families.  At  Powell's  Valley, 
forty  men  joined  them.  Full  of  hope  and  spirit,  they  pressed 
on  towards  the  last  groat  mountain  barrier;  but  just  as  they 
approached  it,  on  the  10th  of  October,  they  were  attacked  in  the 
rear  by  a  party  of  Indians,  who  killed  six  of  the  emigrants  and 
wounded  a  seventh.  Among  the  slain  was  Boone's  son.  The  In- 
dians were  repulsed,  but  the  attack  considerably  depressed  the 
spirits  of  the  whites,  and  caused  them  to  retrace  their  steps,  and 
not  to  stop  until  they  had  placed  a  double  mountain  range  between 
them  and  the  western  wilds.  In  the  mean  time,  other  parties, 
under  Colonel  James  Knox  and  Captain  Bullitt,  had  visited 
Kentucky,  and  explored  some  portions  of  the  country.  The 
Indians  acted  in  a  friendly  manner  towards  these  adventurers. 
For  a  time,  the  settlement  of  Kentucky  was  delayed ;  for 
though  James  Hf-rrod,  in  the  spring  of  1774,  penetrated  the 
wilderness,  and  built  his  cabin  where  Harrodsburg  now  stands, 
he  could  not  long  stay  there.  The  Dunmore  War  forced  him 
to  return  to  the  frontier  settlements,  and  aid  against  the 
Indians.  By  the  treaty  made  after  the  battle  of  Point  Pleasant, 
the  Shawnees  agreed  not  to  hunt  south  of  the  Ohio  nor  molest 
emigrants.  Boone,  Harrod,  and  other  adventurers  then  returned 
to  Kentucky.  Various  settlements  were  soon  formed,  Boones- 
borough,  Harrodsburg,  and  Logan's  Station,  being  the  principal. 

On  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  independence,  British 
agents  were  active  in  enlisting  the  Indians  of  the  Northwestern 
territory  in  their  cause.  Rewards  were  offered  for  scalps.  In 
the  summer  of  1776,  straggling  parties  of  red  men  so  filled  the 
woods  of  Kentucky,  that  there  was  no  safety  for  the  settlers 
outside  of  their  forts.  Several  skirmishes  occurred,  in  which, 
however,  the  whites  had  the  advantage.  Colonel  George  Rogers 
Clarke,  who  deserves  to  be  considered  the  founder  of  Kentucky, 
and  who  ever  exerted  his  great  abilities  for  the  benefit  of  the 
pioneers,  went  to  Virginia,  and  procured  a  large  supply  of  am- 


INDIAN    WARS   OF   THE  WEST. 


347 


TIIR    KBNTl'CKr   PIONEERS. 


munition  for  the  stations,  which  were  all  attacked  at  various 
times  by  the  Indians,  and  reduced  to  extremities.  A  number 
of  the  settlers  were  surprised  by  lurking  savages  and  killed. 
The  horses  and  cattle  were  driven  away ;  the  fields  remained 
uncultivated.  The  number  of  the  whites  became  fewer  and 
fewer,  and  from  the  older  settlements  little  or  no  aid  was  sent 
until  August  1777,  when  Colonel  Bowman  came  from  Virginia 
with  one  hundred  men.     At  the  close  of  this  year,  the  three 


348 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


I      i  E   ' 


stations,  Logan's,  Boone's,  and  HaiTod's,  contained  all  tiio 
settlers  of  Kentucky ;  their  efficient  military  force  being  one 
hundred  and  ten  men. 

In  defending  the  Htations,  many  acts  of  real  heroism  were 
performed,  worthy  of  immortal  recollection.  Benjamin  Logan 
particularly  diHtin;;uished  himself.  In  May,  1777,  the  fort  at 
which  Logan  lived,  was  surrounded  by  Indians,  more  than  a 
hundred  in  number ;  and  so  silently  liad  they  made  their  ap- 
proach, that  the  first  notice  which  the  garrison  had  of  their 
presence  was  a  discharge  of  firearms  upon  some  men  who  were 
guarding  tiio  women  as  they  milked  the  cows  outside  the 
station.  One  was  killed,  a  second  mortally  wounded,  and  a 
third,  named  Harrison,  disabled.  This  poor  man,  unable  to 
aid  himself,  lay  in  sight  of  the  fort,  where  his  wife,  who  s.aw 
his  condition,  was  begging  some  one  to  go  to  his  relief.  But  to 
attempt  such  a  thing  seemed  madness;  for  whoever  ventured 
from  either  side  into  the  open  ground,  where  Harrison  lay 
writhing  and  groaning,  would  instantly  Ijecome  a  target  for  all 
the  sharpshooters  of  the  opposite  party.  For  some  moments 
Logan  stood  it  pretty  well;  he  tried  to  persuade  himself  and 
the  poor  woman  who, was  pleading  to  him,  that  his  duty 
required  him  to  remain  within  the  walls  and  let  the  savages 
complete  their  bl(X)dy  work.  But  such  a  heart  as  his  was  too 
warm  to  be  long  restrained  by  arguments  and  judicious  expe- 
diency ;  and  suddenly  turning  to  his  men,  he  cried,  "  Come, 
boys,  who's  the  man  to  help  me  in  with  Harrison  ?"  There 
were  brave  men  there,  but  to  run  into  certain  death  in  order  to 
save  a  man  whom,  after  all,  they  could  not  save, — it  was  asking 
too  much ;  and  all  shook  their  heads,  and  shrunk  back  from 
the  mad  proposal.  "  Not  one !  not  one  of  you  help  a  poor 
fellow  to  save  his  scalp  ?"  "  Why,  what's  the  good.  Captain  ? 
to  let  the  red  rascals  kill  us  won't  help  Harrison  ?"  At  last,  one, 
half  inspired  by  Logan's  impetuous  courage,  agreed  to  go;  he 
could  die  but  once,  he  said,  and  was  about  as  ready,  then,  as 
he  should  ever  be.  The  gate  was  slightly  opened,  and  the  two 
doomed  men  stepped  out ;  instantly  a  tempest  of  rifle  balls 
opened  upon  them,  and  Logan's  companion,  rapidly  reasoning 
himself  into  the  belief  that  he  was  not  so  ready  to  die  as  he 
hod  believed,  bolted  back  into  the  station.     Not  so  his  noble> 


INDIAN    WARS    OF    THE    WEST. 


34tt 


all  tho 
}ing  uno 

Bm  wcrt! 
1  Logan 
)  fort  at 

than  a 
their  ap- 
of  their 
ho  were 
side  the 
I,  and  a 
nable  to 
who  saw 

But  to 
,'entured 
ison  lay 
;t  tor  all 
noraents 
self  and 
is  duty 
savages 

was  too 
us  expe- 
"  Come, 
There 
order  to 
3  asking 
ck  from 

a  poor 
aptain  ? 
[ist,  one, 

go;  he 
then,  as 
the  two 
le  balls 
asoning 
ie  as  he 
3  noble- 


hearted  loadcM'.  Alone,  through  that  tempest,  he  Mprang  forward 
to  where  the  wuundud  man  lay,  and  while  his  hat,  hunting- 
shirt,  and  hair  were  cut  and  torn  by  the  ceaseless  shower,  he 
lifted  his  comrade  like  a  child  in  his  arms,  and  regained  the 
fort  without  a  scratch. 

But  this  rescue  of  a  fellow-being,  though  worthy  of  record 
in  immortal  verse,  was  nothing  compared  with  what  this  same 
Benjamin  Logan  did  soon  after.  The  Indians  continued  thwir 
siege ;  still  they  made  no  impression,  but  the  garrison  were 
running  short  of  )x>wder  and  ball,  and  non^'  could  be  procured 
except  by  crossing  the  mountairs.  To  do  this,  tae  neighbouring 
furest  must  be  passed,  throngin .:  with  Indiann,  and  a  journey 
oi'  suuie  hundred  miles  accomplished  u;onj.<^  i,  path  every  portion 
of  which  might  be  waylaid,  and  at  last  the  fort  must  be 
re-entered  with  the  articles  so  mach  ne  led.  F'-rely,  if  ever 
an  enterprise  seemed  hopeless,  it  was  this  one  .nd  yet  the 
thing  must  be  tried.  Logan  pondered  the  mate  :r  carefully  ;  he 
calculated  the  distance,  not  less  than  ttiv*  hundred  ^  .  \')&  in 
and  back ;  he  estimated  the  aid  from  oth.  "  quarters ;  and  ii. 
the  silence  of  night  asked  wisdom  and  guidance  from  God.  Nor 
did  he  ask  in  vain ;  wisdom  was  given  him.  At  iiijiht,  with 
two  picked  companions,  he  stole  from  the  station,  every  breath 
hushed.  The  suuunor  leaves  were  thic'"  above  tSiem,  nnd  with 
the  [jrofuundest  care  and  skill,  Logan  guided  his  followers  from 
tree  to  tree,  from  run  to  run,  unseen  by  the  savages,  who 
dreamed  not,  probably,  of  so  dangerous  an  undertaking. 
Quickly  but  most  cautiously  pushing  eastward,  walking  forty 
or  fifty  miles  a  da}',  the  thr  '^  woodsmen  passed  onward  till  the 
Cumberland  range  was  in  -^ht;  then,  avoiding  the  Gap, 
which  they  supposed  would  be  watched  by  Indians,  over  those 
rugged  hills,  where  man  had  never  climbed  before,  they  forced 
their  way  with  untiriv;  energy  and  a  rapidity  to  us,  degenerate 
as  we  are,  inconceivable.  The  mountains  crossed,  and  the 
valley  of  the  Holston  reached,  Logan  procured  his  ammunition, 
and  then  turned  alone  on  his  homeward  track,  leaving  his  two 
companions,  with  full  directions,  to  follow  him  more  slowly 
with  the  lead  and  powder.  He  returned  before  them,  because 
he  wished  to  revive  the  hopes  of  his  little  garrison  in  the  wilder- 
ness, numbering  as  it  did,  in  his  absence,  only  ten  men,  and 
44 


360 


INDIAN    WARS    OF    THE    WEST. 


they  without  the  means  of  defence.  He  feared  they  would 
yield,  if  he  delayed  an  hour ;  so,  back,  like  a  chamois,  he  sped, 
over  those  broken  and  precipitous  ranges,  and  actually  rt-ached 
and  re-entered  his  fort  in  ten  days  from  the  time  he  left  it,  safe 
and  full  of  hope.  Such  a  spirit  would  have  made  even  women 
dare  and  do  everything,  and  by  hi^i  influence  the  siege  was  still 
resisted  till  Vtw  ammunition  came  safe  to  hand.  From  May 
till  Septemlioi'  that  little  band  was  thus  beset;  then  Colonel 
Bowman  relieved  them. 

Throughout  the  spring  and  summer  of  1777,  the  settlements 
in  the  vicinity  of  Wheeling  were  beset  by  the  savages.  On 
the  evening  of  September  26th,  1777,  smoke  was  seen  by  those 
near  Wheeling,  down  the  river,  and  was  supposed  to  proceed 
from  the  burning  of  the  block-house  at  Grave  Creek.  The 
people  of  the  vicinity,  taking  the  alarm,  fled  to  the  fort.  Within 
its  walk  were  forty-two  fighting  men,  of  various  ages  and  gifts : 
these  were  well  supplied  with  guns,  both  rifles  and  muskets, 
but  had  only  a  scant  supply  of  gunpowder,  as  the  event  proved. 
The  night  of  the  2Gtli  passed  without  alarm,  but  when,  very 
early  upon  the  27l\\,  two  men,  who  were  sent  out  for  horses,  in 
order  to  alarm  the  settlements  near  by,  had  proceeded  some 
distance  from  the  fort,  they  met  a  party  of  six  savages,  by 
whom  one  of  them  was  shot.  The  commandant  of  the  post, 
Colonel  Shepherd,  learning  from  the  survivor  that  there  were 
but  six  of  the  assailants,  sent  a  party  of  fifteen  men  to  see  to 
them.  These  were  suffered  to  march  after  the  six,  who  seem 
to  have  been  mejint  merely  for  a  decoy,  until  they  were  within 
the  Indian  lines,  when,  suddenly,  in  front,  behind,  and  on  every 
side,  the  painted  warriors  showed  themselves.  The  little  band 
fought  bravely  against  incalculable  odds,  but  of  the  fifteen 
three  only  escaped,  and  they  by  means  of  the  brush  and  logs, 
which  were  in  the  corn  field  where  the  sk*  Tiish  took  place. 
As  soon  as  the  position  of  the  first  band  wu  seen  at  the  fort, 
thirteen  others  rushed  to  their  assistance,  and  shared  their 
fate.  Then,  and  it  was  not  yet  sunrise,  the  whole  body 
of  Indians,  disposed  in  somewhat  martial  order,  appeared 
regularly  to  invest  the  devoted  fort.  There  were  nearly  four 
hundred  of  them,  and  of  the  defenders  but  twelve  men  and 
boys  J  unless  indeed  we  count  women,  than  whom,  as  we  shall 


:lll! 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


351 


f  would 
he  sped, 

reached 
't  it,  safe 
1  women 
was  still 
om  May 

Colonel 

tlements 
;es.  On 
by  those 

proceed 
k.     The 

Within 
nd  gifts : 
[uuskets, 
t  proved, 
en,  very 
lorses,  in 
ed  some 
rages,  by 
he  post, 
ere  were 
to  see  to 
rho  seem 
e  within 
Dn  every 
tie  band 
e  fifteen 
\m\  logs, 
k  place, 
the  fort, 
ed  thoir 
)le  body 
ippearcd 
irly  four 
neu  and 

we  bhall 


8ee,  none  were  braver  or  calmer  within  tiie  walls  of  that  little 
fortress. 

The  Indians  were  led  by  Simon  Girty,  who  was  acting  as 
an  agent  for  the  British  in  the  attempt  to  secure  the  aid  of  a 
part,  at  any  rate,  of  the  frontier  men,  in  the  revolutionary 
struggle.  " 

Fort  Henry  stood  immediately  upon  the  bank  of  the  Ohio, 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  above  the  mouth  of  Wheeling  Creek ; 
between  it  and  the  steep  river  hill  which  every  traveller  in  the 
west  is  acquainted  with,  were  twenty  or  thirty  log  huts.  When 
Girty  then,  as  we  have  said,  led  his  red  troops  against  the  fort, 
he  at  once  took  possession  of  the  houses  of  the  village  as  a  safe 
and  ready-made  line  of  attack,  and  from  the  window  of  one  of 
the  cabins  called  upon  the  little  garrison  to  surrender  to  King 
George,  and  promised  absolution  to  all  who  would  do  so.  Colonel 
Shepherd  answered  at  once  that  they  would  neither  desert  nor 
yield;  and  when  Girty  recommenced  his  eloquence,  a  shot 
from  some  impatient  listener  suddenly  stopped  his  mouth. 
Then  commenced  the  siege.  It  was  just  sunrise  in  the  quiet 
valley,  through  which  the  quiet  autumnal  river  flowed  as 
peacefully  as  if  war  was  never  known.  A  calm,  warm,  bright 
September  day — one  of  those  days  most  lovely  among  the 
many  pleasant  ones  of  a  year  in  the  Ohio  valley — and  from 
sunrise  till  noon,  and  from  noon  till  night  of  that  day,  the 
hundreds  of  besiegers  and  units  of  besieged  about  and  within 
Fort  Henry,  ceased  not  to  load  and  discharge  musket  or  rifle 
till  it  was  too  hot  to  hold.  About  noon  the  fire  of  the  attackers 
slackened,  and  then  as  powder  was  scarce  in  the  fort,  and  it 
was  remembered  that  a  keg  was  concealed  in  the  house  of 
Ebenezer  Zane,  some  sixty  yards  distant, — it  was  determined 
to  make  an  effort  to  obtain  it.  When  the  question,  "  Who  will 
go  ?"  was  proposed,  however,  so  many  competitors  appeared 
that  time  was  wasted  in  adjusting  claims  to  what  was  almost 
sure  death.  The  rest  of  the  story  we  must  let  Mr.  Geo.  S. 
McKiernan,  irom  whom  we  take  our  whole  account  nearly, — 
tell  in  his  own  words. 

At  this  crisis,  a  young  lady,  the  sister  of  Ebenezer  and  Silas 
Zane,  came  forward  and  desired  that  she  might  be  permitted  to 
execute  the  service.     This  proposition  seemed  so  extravagant 


352 


INDIAN    WARS   OF    THE   WEST. 


I    III 


i 


that  it  met  with  a  peremptory  refusal;  but  she  instantly 
renewed  her  petition  in  terms  of  redoubled  earnestness,  and  all 
the  remonstrances  of  the  Colonel  and  her  relatives  failed  to 
dissuade  her  from  her  heroic  purpose.  It  was  finally  represented 
to  her  that  either  of  the  young  men,  on  account  of  his  superior 
fleetness  and  familiarity  with  scenes  of  danger,  would  be  more 
likely  than  herself  to  do  the  work  successfully.  She  replied, 
that  the  danger  which  would  attend  the  enterprise  was  the 
identical  reason  that  induced  her  to  ofier  her  services,  for,  as 
the  garrison  was  very  weak,  no  soldier's  life  should  be  placed  in 
needless  jeopardy,  and  that,  if  she  were  to  fall,  the  loss  would 
not  be  felt.  Her  petition  was  ultimately  granted,  and  the  gate 
opened  for  her  to  pass  out.  The  opening  of  the  gate  arrested 
the  attention  of  several  Indians  who  were  straggling  through 
the  village.  It  was  noticed  that  their  eyes  were  upon  her  as 
she  crossed  the  open  space  to  reach  her  brother's  house ;  but 
seized,  perhaps,  with  a  sudden  freak  of  clemency,  or  believing 
that  a  woman's  life  was  not  worth  a  load  of  gunpowder,  or  in- 
fluenced by  some  other  unexplained  motive,  they  permitted 
her  to  pass  without  molestation.  When  she  reappeared  with 
the  powder  in  her  arms,  the  Indians,  suspecting,  no  doubt,  the 
character  of  her  burden,  elevated  their  firelocks  and  discharged 
a  volley  at  her  as  she  swiftly  glided  towards  the  gate ;  but  the 
balls  all  flew  wide  of  the  mark,  and  the  fearless  girl  reached 
the  fort  in  safety  with  her  prize.  - 

The  allies  of  Britain,  finding  rifles  powerless  when  used 
against  well-built  block-houses  and  pickets,  determined  upon 
trying  an  extemporary  cannon,  and  having  bound  a  hollow 
maple  with  chains,  having  bored  a  touch  hole,  and  plugged  up 
one  end,  they  loaded  it  liberally  and  levelled  it  at  the  gate  of 
the  impregnable  castle.  It  was  now  evening,  and  the  disap- 
pointed Wyandots  gathered  about  their  artillery,  longing  to  see 
its  loading  of  stones  open  to  them  the  door  of  the  American 
citadel.  The  match  was  applied;  bursting  into  a  thousand 
pieces,  the  cannon  of  Girty  tore,  maimed,  and  killed  his  copper- 
coloured  kinsfolk,  but  hurt  none  else. 

During  that  night  many  of  the  assailants  withdrew  "dis- 
heartened. On  the  morning  of  the  28th,  fifteen  men  "  «rne 
fiom  Cross  creek  to  the  aid  of  Fort  Henry,  and  forty-one  i  jm 


instantly 
I,  and  all 

failed  to 
;)resented 
I  superior 

be  more 
B  replied, 

was  the 
i8,  for,  as 
placed  in 
iss  would 

the  gate 
:  arrested 

through 
>n  her  as 
use;  but 
believing 
,er,  or  in- 
)ermitted 
red  with 
3ubt,  the 
ischarged 
;  but  the 
I  reached 

len  used 
led  upon 
a  hollow 
ugged  up 
J  gate  of 
he  disap- 
ng  to  see 
American 
thousand 
8  copper- 

Irew  -lis- 
ten "  ane 
one  1  jm 


r    , . "  / 


m 


aSOROB  BO«BIia  OLABKB. 


(354; 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


355 


Short  creek.  Of  these  all  entered  the  fort  except  Major 
McCoUoch,  the  leader  of  the  Short  creek  volunteers. 

McColloch  possessed  a  great  reputation  as  a  borderer,  and  the 
Indians  were  anxious  to  take  him  alive.  They  drove  him 
towards  the  summit  of  a  steep  hill  overlooking  the  site  of  the 
present  town  of  Wheeling,  where  the  daring  Major  made  a 
terrific  leap.  The  Indians  thought  that  he  would  be  dashed  to 
pieces;  but  he  escaped  unharmed.  McCoUoch's  Leap  is  a 
noted  event  in  border  history,  and  certainly  was  a  wonderful 
exploit.  The  precipice  down  which  the  Major  plun5!;ed,  has  a 
descent,  nearly  perpendicular,  of  one  himdred  and  fifty  feet. 

Finding  all  attempts  to  take  the  fort  fruitless,  the  Indians 
killed  all  the  stock,  including  more  than  three  hundred  cattle, 
burned  houses  and  fences,  and  destroyed  every  article  of  furni- 
ture. Of  the  forty-two  men  who  had  been  in  the  fort,  twenty- 
five  were  killed,  all  outside  of  the  walls.  Of  the  savages  one 
hundred  are  supposed  to  have  perished. 

The  next  year,  Colonel  George  Rogers  Clarke  undertook  the 
famous  expedition  against  Kaskaskia  and  Vincennes.  He  was 
completely  successful  in  overcoming  difficulties  that  would  have 
daunted  most  men,  and  capturing  the  British  posts,  from  which 
the  Indians  had  been  supplied  with  arms.  The  whole  merit  of 
the  conception  and  execution  of  this  enterprise  belongs  to  Colonel 
Clarke.  His  daring  genius  supplied  what  was  wanting  in 
numbers  and  equipment.  He  held  a  council  with  the  Indians 
at  Cahokia,  addressed  them  in  a  manly  and  eloquent  strain, 
explaining  the  causen  of  the  quarrel  between  Great  Britain  and 
the  colonies,  and  succeeded  in  getting  their  assent  to  a  treaty 
of  peace.  In  this  council,  Clarke  displayed  more  knowledge  of 
the  Indian  character  than  had  ever  before  been  shown  by  a 
white  negotiator.  The  colonel  was  certainly  the  greatest 
character  who  figured  in  the  early  history  of  the  west,  and,  on 
another  field,  might  have  won  a  splendid  reputation. 

While  Clarke  was  fortunate  in  the  far  west,  misfortune 
lowered  upon  other  Kentuckians.  Daniel  Boone  and  27  others, 
while  making  salt  at  the  Blue  Licks,  were  captured  by  the  In- 
dians, and  carried  to  Detroit.  On  the  way,  the  Shawneea 
b  >came  very  much  attached  to  Boone,  and  instead  of  giving  him 
up  to  Governor  Hamilton,  with  the  other  prisoners,  insisted 


^^1  m 


856 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST 


\f       1 


t     II 


LI 


i      I! 
'  III 


;   ,1' v^ 


r      V 


■  '•'  J.. 


CAXADIAH8  AHD  INDIANS  BNCAHPKD  BBFORB  BOONb'S  STATION. 

upon  taking  him  home  with  them.  Boone  was  forced  to  comply. 
On  arriving  at  Chilicothe,  he  found  a  large  army  of  Indians 
collected  for  an  expedition  against  the  settlements  of  Kentucky. 
He  then  resolved  to  escape,  and  succeeded  in  the  attempt. 
Reaching  his  station,  he  found  it  totally  unprepared  for  defence. 
The  alarm  was  given,  and  all  the  men  set  to  work  to  repair  the 
fortifications.  The  escape  of  Boone  delayed  the  starting  of  the 
Indian  expedition.  The  red  men  had  calculated  on  surprising 
the  settlements,  and  they  now  saw  their  plans  frustrated. 
A-bout  the  1st  of  August,  Boone,  with  nineteen  men,  set  out 
to  reconnoitre,  and,  if  possible,  to  strike  an  anticipating  blow. 
After  crossing  the  Ohio,  the  party  suddenly  met  the  advancing 
army,  and  was  forced  to  take  a  circuitous  route  to  get  back 
to  Boonesborough  in  safety. 

On  the  8th  of  August,  the  enemy,  five  hundred  in  number, 


INDIAN    WARS    OF    THE    WEST. 


Soi 


;" 


o  comply. 

f  Indians 

entucky. 

attempt. 

defence. 

'epair  the 

ing  of  the 

urprising 

rustrated. 

n,  set  out 

ing  blow. 

idvancing 

)  get  back 

1  number, 


with   British   and    French  flags  flying,  and  led  by  Cttptuin 
Duquesno,  surrounded  Boonesborough.   On  being  Hiiinmonud  to 
surrender,  Boone  requested  two  days  for  conBido ration,   and 
these  were  granted.     At  the  end  of  that  period,  ho  announced 
his  determination  to  fight.    Captain  Duquesno  then  desired  to 
treat.     Boone  consented,  with   singular    inprudenco,  which 
might  have  proved  fatal.     The  conference  was  hold  outside  of 
the  fort,  but  within  rifle  reach  of  the  garrison,     A  treaty  was 
concluded ;  but  symptoms  of  treachery  appearing,  Boone  and 
his  friends  fled  to  the   fort,  and  thus  broke  oil'  nogotitttion. 
Captain  Duquesne  then  opened  a  fire  upon  the  fort,  wlilch  was 
continued  for  ten  days  without  effect.    Oa  the  20tli  of  August, 
the  enemy  was  forced  to  retire,  having  lost  37  men,  and  wasted 
a  vast  amount  of  ammunition.    The  capture  of  Governor  Hamil- 
ton by  Clarke  and  the  expeditions  of  Sullivan  and  Drodiioad 
then  mitigated  the  hostility  of  the  Indians  for  a  time,  and  the 
frontiers  were  saved  from  entire  desolation.     The  failure  of  an 
expedition  under  Colonel  Bowman  to  the  Little  Miami,  how- 
ever, brought  the  Indians  south  of  the  Ohio  again  in  1779,  and 
they  unexpectedly  won  a  victory  over  the  whites  of  no  slight 
importance.     As  Colonel  Kogers  with  a  body  of  rillenK'n  was 
proceeding  along  the  Ohio,  near  the  Licking,  he  disaovered  a 
few  Indians.     Supposing  himself  to  be  far  suporitjr,  ho  ordered 
seventy  of  his  men  to  land,  intending  to  surround  the  savages. 
In  a  few  moments,  however,  he  was  himself  surrounded,  and 
after  a  hard-fought  battle,  only  twenty  of  the  whites  escaped. 
Captain   Benham,  and  another  Kentuckian,  had  a  singular 
escape.    Benham  was  shot  through  both  hips,  so  as  to  bo  power- 
less in  the  lower  limbs,  but   contrived  to  conceal   himself 
till  the  Indians  had  retired.     His  companion  had  both  arras 
broken,  and  also  concealed  himself  till  the  savages  had  gone. 
These  two  men  then  rendered  each  other  such  assistance  as 
they  could,  lived  in  this  way  for  six  weeks,  and  were  then 
rescued. 

In  the  summer  of  1780,  Kentucky  was  invaded  by  a  more 
formidable  force  than  had  yet  been  seen  on  her  soil  during  the 
existence  of  the  settlements.  A  body  of  six  hundred  men, 
Canadians  and  Indians,  commanded  by  Colonel  Byrd,  a  British 
officer,  and  accompanied  by  either  two  or  six  caiuion,  marched 
45  2a2 


m '  ii 


^^! 


I  i 


\ 


'  1 


II 


! 


358 


INDIAN    WARS    OF    THE    WEST. 


up  the  valley  of  the  Licking.  It  first  appeared,  on  the  22d  of 
June,  before  Riddle's  station  on  the  south  fork  of  that  river, 
and  required  instant  surrender.  The  demand  could  not  be 
resisted,  as  the  Kentucky  stockades  were  powerless  against 
cannon.  Martin's  station  on  the  same  stream  was  next  taken ; 
and  then,  from  some  unexplained  cause,  the  whole  body  of 
invaders, — whose  number  was  double  that  of  all  the  fighting 
men  east  of  the  Kentucky  river, — turned  right  about  face,  and 
hurried  out  of  the  country  with  all  speed.  The  only  reasonable 
explanation  of  the  matter  is  that  the  British  commander, 
horror-stricken  and  terrified  at  the  excesses  and  cruelties  of  his 
savage  allies,  dared  not  go  forward  in  the  task — by  no  means  a 
hopeless  one — of  depopulating  the  woods  of  Kentucky. 

This  incursion  by  Byrd  and-  his  red  friends,  little  as  it  had 
effected,  was  enough  to  cause  Clarke,  who  had  just  returned 
from  his  labours  on  Fort  Jefferson,  and  who  found  at  the  Falls 
a  letter  from  the  Governor  of  Virginia,  recommending  an  attack 
upon  the  Indian  villages  north  of  the  Ohio, — to  take  immediate 
steps  for  the  chastisement  of  the  savages,  and  especially  for  the 
destruction  of  the  store  which  furnished  goods  to  the  natives. 
This  was  situated  where  the  post  destroyed  by  the  French  in 
1752  had  been,  and  was  known  in  latter  days  as  Loramie's 
store.     When,  however,  in  accordance  with  his  determination, 
Clarke,  in  July,  went  to  Harrodsburg  to  enlist  recruits,  he  found 
the  whole  population  crazy  about  land  entries,  Mr.  May,  the 
Surveyor,  having  opened  his  office  but  two  months  previous. 
The  General  proposed  to  him  to  shut  up  for  a  time  while  the 
Indians  were  attended  to;  the  Surveyor  in  reply  expressed  a 
perfect  willingness  to  do  so  in  case  General  Clarke  would  order 
it,  but  said  that  otherwise  he  had  no  authority  to  take  such  a 
step.     The  order  was  accordingly  given   and  public  notice 
spread  abroad,  accompanied  by  a  full  statement  of  the  reasons 
for  the  proceeding.    The  result  proved,  as  usual,  Clarke's  saga- 
city;   volunteers  flocked  to  his  standard,  and  soon  with  a 
thousand  men  he  was  at  the  mouth  of  the  Licking.     Silently 
and  swiftly  from  that  point  he  proceeded  to  attack  the  town 
known  as  Chilicothe,  on  the  Little  Miami,  and  then  the  Pika- 
way  towns  on  Mad  river.      In  both  attacks  he  succeeded; 
destroying  the  towns,  burning  the  crops,  and  above  all  anuihi-' 


i     \y 


6  22d  of 
at  river, 
[  not  be 

against 
t  taken ; 
body  of 

fighting 
face,  and 
asonable 
imander, 
es  of  his 
means  a 


s  it  had 
returned 
he  Falls 
m  attack 
imediate 
y  for  the 
natives, 
rench  in 
loramie's 
aination, 
he  found 
May,  the 
previous, 
rhile  the 
pressed  a 
lid  order 
:e  such  a 
c  notice 
I  reasons 
Le's  saga- 
with  a 
Silently 
:he  town 
he  Pika- 
icceeded ; 
L  annihi" 


I".  \' 


( • 


BCNTIKO  SCOUTS,  OR  RAKGEBa. 


fill 


(860) 


INDIAN    WARS    OF    THE    WEST. 


361 


lating  the  British  store  above  referred  to,  with  its  contents. 
This  expedition,  the  first  efficient  one  ever  undertaken  against 
the  Miami  nests  of  enemies,  for  a  time  relieved  Kentucky  from 
the  attack  of  any  body  of  Indians  sufficiently  numerous  to 
produce  serious  alarm. 

The  Indians  converted  by  Heckewclder  and  other  Moravian 
missionaries  to  Christianity,  resided  upon  the  Muskingum.  They 
were  peaceful  and  industrious ;  but  both  parties  were  jealous 
of  them,  and  entertained  suspicion  of  their  secret  action. 
These  poor  Indians  were  thus  exposed  to  attack  from  whites 
and  savages. 

In  the  spring  of  1781,  Colonel  Brodhead  led  a  body  of  troops 
against  some  of  the  hostile  Delawares  upon  the  Muskingum. 
This,  a  portion  of  his  followers  thought,  would  be  an  excellent 
opportunity  to  destroy  the  Moravian  towns,  and  it  was  with 
difficulty  he  could  withhold  them.  He  sent  word  to  Hecke- 
wclder, and  tried  to  prevent  any  attack  upon  the  members  of 
his  flock.  In  this  attempt  he  appears  to  have  succeeded ;  but 
he  did  not,  perhaps  could  not,  prevent  the  slaughter  of  the 
troops  taken  from  the  hostile  Delawares.  First,  sixteen  were 
killed,  and  then  nearly  twenty.  A  chief,  who  came  under 
assurances  of  safety  to  Brodhead's  camp,  was  also  murdered  by 
a  noted  partisan,  named  Martin  Wetzel.  From  that  time,  the 
Virginians  rested  until  autumn,  when  the  frontier  men,  led  by 
Colonel  David  Williamson,  marched  out  expressly  against  the 
towns  of  the  Christian  Delawares ;  but  they  found  that  the 
Hurons  had  preceded  them,  and  the  huts  and  fields  of  the 
friends  of  peace  were  deserted. 

In  the  course  of  this  year,  the  Indians  were  very  active  on 
the  frontier,  and  their  outrages  so  exasperated  the  borderers, 
that  they  were  disposed  to  slay  all  who  had  Indian  blood  in 
their  veins.  The  details  of  all  the  skirmishes  and  attacks 
would  be  monotonous,  and  we  therefore  omit  them.  During  the 
year,  the  Kentuckians  made  a  more  efiectual  organization  of 
their  forces.  Clarke  was  commissioned  a  brigadier-general ;  and 
Boone,  Todd,  Trigg,  Floyd,  Logan,  and  Pope  were  invested 
with  subordinate  commands. 

The  year  1782  was  the  most  eventful  in  the  early  history 
of  Kentucky.     The  very  extraordinary  affair  known  as  Estill's 


if' 


'<! 


i      1''1' 


862 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


r     f' 


VI    «. 


Defeat,  and  the  Battle  of  the  Blue  Licks,  will  ever  make  it 
meniorablo.  Tlie  first  conflict  was  memorable  for  a  display  of 
military  skill  on  the  part  of  the  Indian  commander,  unparalleled 
in  the  warfare  of  his  people. 

In  the  month  of  May,  a  party  of  about  twenty-five  Wy andots 
invested  Estill's  Station,  on  the  south  of  the  Kentucky  river, 
killed  one  white  man,  took  a  negro  prisoner,  and,  after  de- 
stroying the  cattle,  retreated.  Soon  after  the  Indians  disap- 
peared, Captain  Estill  raised  a  company  of  twenty-five  men. 
With  tlioHo  he  pursued  the  Indians ;  and  on  Hinkston's  Fork  of 
Licking,  two  miles  below  the  Little  Mountain,  came  within 
gunshot  of  them.  They  had  just  crossed  the  creek,  which  in 
that  part  is  small;  and  were  ascending  one  side,  as  Estill's 
party  descended  the  other,  of  two  approaching  hills,  of  mode- 
rate elevation.  The  water-course  which  lay  between,  had 
produced  an  opening  in  the  timber,  and  brush,  conducing  to 
mutual  discovery ;  while  both  hills  were  well  set  with  trees, 
interspersed  with  saplings  and  bushes.  Instantly,  after  dis- 
covering the  Indians,  some  of  Captain  Estill's  men  fired  at 
them ;  at  first  they  seemed  alarmed,  and  made  a  movement 
like  flight:  but  their  chief,  although  wounded,  gave  them 
orders  to  stand  and  fight — on  which  they  promptly  prepared 
for  battle,  by  each  man  taking  a  tree,  and  facing  his  enemy,  as 
nearly  in  a  line  as  practicable. 

In  the  mean  time.  Captain  Estill,  with  due  attention  to  what 
was  passing  on  the  opposite  site,  checked  the  progress  of  his 
men  at  about  sixty  yards*  distance  from  the  foe,  and  gave 
orders  to  extend  their  line  in  front  of  the  Indians,  to  cover 
themselves  by  the  means  of  the  trees,  and  to  tire,  as  the  object 
should  be  seen,  with  a  sure  aim.  This  order,  perfectly  adapted 
to  the  occasion,  was  executed  with  alacrity,  as  far  as  cir- 
cumstances would  admit,  and  the  desultory  mode  of  Indian 
fighting  was  thought  to  require.  So  that  both  sides  were 
preparing,  and  ready,  at  the  same  time,  for  the  bloody  conflict 
which  ensued,  and  which  proved  to  be  singularly  obstinate. 

The  numbers  were  equal :  some  have  said  exactly  twenty- 
five  on  each  side ;  others  have  mentioned,  that  Captain  Estill, 
upon  seeing  the  Indians  form  for  battle,  despatched  ona  or 
two  of  his  men  upon  the  back  trail,  to  hasten  forward  a  small 


make  it 
isplay  of 
)araUel«)d 

''yandots 
ky  river, 
after  de- 
ns disap- 
ive  men. 
B  Fork  of 
e  within 
which  in 
9  Estill's 
of  mode- 
een,  had 
ucing  to 
th  trees, 
ifter  dis- 
fired  at 
lovement 
ve  them 
prepared 
nemy,  as 

I  to  what 
ss  of  his 
md  gave 
to  cover 
he  object 

adapted 
T  as  cir- 
f  Indian 
ies  were 
/  conflict 
Inate. 

twenty- 
n  Estill, 
i  ona  or 
I  a  small 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


863 


reinfon cmont  which  ho  oxpected  was  following  him;  and  if 
BO,  it  gave  tho  Indians  the  superiority  of  numbers,  without 
prodtuMug  the  desired  ussistunce — for  the  reinforcement  never 
arrived. 

Now  were  the  hostile  lines  within  rifle-shot,  and  the  action 
bccamo  warm  and  general.  Never  was  battle  more  like  single 
combat ;  each  man  sought  his  man,  and  fired  only  when  ho 
saw  his  mark.  Wounds  and  death  were  inflicted  on  either  side, 
neither  advancing  nor  retreating.  The  firing  was  dcliterate ; 
with  caution  they  looked,  but  look  they  would,  for  the  foe  ; 
although  life  itself  was  often  the  forfeit.  And  thus,  both  sides 
firmly  stood,  or  bravely  fell,  for  more  than  one  hour;  upwards 
of  one-fourth  of  the  combatants  had  fallen,  never  more  to  rise, 
on  either  side,  and  several  others  were  wounded.  Never, 
probably,  was  the  native  bravery  or  collected  fortitude  of  men 
put  to  a  test  more  severe.  Never  was  monceuvring  more 
necessary,  or  less  practicable.  Captain  Estill  had  not  a  man 
to  spare  from  his  line,  and  deemed  unsafe  any  movement  in 
front,  with  a  view  to  force  the  enemy  from  their  ground  ; 
because  in  such  a  movement  he  must  expose  his  men,  and  some 
of  them  would  inevitably  fall  before  they  could  reach  the  ad- 
versary. This  would  increase  the  relative  superiority  of  the 
enemy,  while  they  would  receive  the  survivors  with  the  toma- 
hawk in  hand ;  in  the  use  of  which  they  were  practised  and 
expert.  He  clearly  perceived  that  no  advantage  was  to  be 
obtained  over  the  Indians,  while  the  action  was  continued  in  their 
own  mode  of  warfare.  For  although  his  men  were  probably  the 
best  shooters,  the  Indians  were  undoubtedly  the  most  expert 
hiders  ;  so  that  victory  itself,  could  it  have  been  purchased  with 
the  loss  of  his  last  man,  would  afford  but  a  melancholy  consola- 
tion for  the  loss  of  friends  and  comrades ;  but  even  of  victory, 
without  some  manoeuvre,  he  could  not  assure  himself.  He 
determinied  to  detach  six  of  his  men,  by  a  valley,  to  gain  the 
flank  or  rear  of  the  enemy ;  while  himself,  with  the  residue, 
maintained  his  position  in  front. 

The  detachment  was  accordingly  made  under  the  command 
of  Lieutenant  Miller,  to  whom  the  route  was  shown,  and  the 
order  given,  conformably  to  the  above-mentioned  determina- 
tion ;    unfortunately,  however,   it  was  not    executed.      The 


i 

^>  II 
^11 


it  I 


;1  :; 


1  ill 


m 


I 


364 


INDIAN    WARS    OF    THE   WEST. 


lieutenant,  either  mistaking  his  way,  or  intentionally  betraying 
his  duty,  his  honour,  and  his  captain,  did  not  proceed  with  the 
requisite  despatch ;  and  the  Indians,  attentive  to  occurrences, 
finding  out  the  weakened  condition  of  their  adversaries,  rushed 
upon  them,  and  compelled  a  retreat,  after  Captain  Estill  and 
eight  of  his  men  were  killed.  Four  others  were  badly  wounded, 
who,  notwithstanding,  made  their  escape ;  so  that  only  nine 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  savages,  who  scalped  and  stripped 
them,  of  course.  It  was  believed  by  the  survivors  of  this  action, 
that  one  half  of  the  Indians  were  killed ;  and  this  idtsa  wa8 
corroborated  by  reports  from  tlieir  towns.  There  is  also  a 
tradition,  that  Miller,  with  his  detachment,  crossed  the  creek, 
fell  in  with  the  enemy,  lost  one  or  two  of  his  men,  and  had  a 
third  or  fourth  wounded,  before  he  retreated. 

In  reviewing  the  incidents  of  this  battle,  the  conduct  of  the 
Indians  cannot  fail  of  commanding  attention.  Their  deter- 
mined bra  eery;  their  obstinate  perseverance;  the  promptitude 
with  which  they  seized  on  the  absence  of  the  detachment,  to 
advance  on  their  enemy ;  and  thus,  by  a  step  not  less  bold 
than  judicious,  to  insure  to  themselves  a  victory  of  immortal 
renown :  conduct  alike  bespeaking  the  possession  of  skill  in 
war,  and  a  training  to  command,  which  could  but  render  them 
formidable,  and  even  victorious. 

The  Shawnees,  Delawares,  and  Wyandots,  in  particular,  were 
terrifying  to  the  exposed  stations,  as  their  depredations  were 
frequent.  It  was  thought  that  they  fought  with  more  than 
usual  obstinacy,  and  were  even  likely  to  derive  an  increased 
audacity  from  repeated  success.  A  party  of  twenty  or  more, 
without  a  formal  attack,  showed  itself  at  Hoy's  Station,  and  took 
several  persons  belonging  to  it ;  with  these  they  made  off,  and 
were  soon  afterwards  pursued  by  Captain  Holder  and  seven- 
teen men,  for  twenty  miles  or  more.  The  ensuing  day  the 
Indians  were  overtaken,  near  the  upper  Blue  Licks ;  a  battle 
ensued ;  but  the  captain  thinking  his  force  too  unequal,  retreated, 
with  the  loss  of  four  men  killed  or  wounded.  The  loss  on  the 
side  of  the  Indians  was  not  known. 

The  time  now  approached,  when,  in  consequence;  of  former 
arrangements,  the  several  Indian  nations  surrounding  the 
country  wore  to  meet  at  Old  ChiHcothe,  and  thence  to  proceed 


rNDIAN    WARS    OF    THE    WEST. 


365 


straying 
yith  the 
irrences, 
,  rushed 
itill  and 
^ounded, 
\\y  nine 
stripped 
8  action, 
l(;a  was 
s  also  a 
le  creek, 
i  had  a 

it  of  the 
r  deter- 
nptitude 
ment,  to 
ess  bold 
mmortal 
skill  in 
icr  them 

ar,  were 
ms  were 
»re  than 
icreased 
)r  more, 
md  took 
off,  and 
1  seven- 
day  the 
a  battle 
treated, 
on  the 

'  former 
ng  the 
proceed 


on  the  great  expedition  which  was  to  exterminate  the  Long 
Knife  from  Kentucky,  and  to  give  the  country  once  more  to 
the  red  men,  its  rightful  owners. 

Even  the  scouts  and  patrols  were  withdrawn  to  the  ren- 
dezvous at  Chilicothe,  and  the  popular  perturbation  was 
succeeded  by  a  calm.  The  suspense  was  but  short  in  its 
continuance.  At  Chilicothe,  the  assemblage  of  Indians  was 
reinforced  by  a  detachment  from  Detroit,  as  the  quota  of  his 
Britannic  Majesty.  When  the  whole  grand  army,  consisting 
of  parties  from  the  Cherokees,  Wyandots,  Atawas,  Pottowato- 
mees,  Delawares,  and  several  other  nations  bordering  on  the 
Mississippi  or  the  lakes,  including  the  Canadians  and  the 
Shawnees,  who  wore  considered  the  principals,  were  convened, 
they  amounted  to  about  five  hundred  men,  painted  and 
trimmed  for  war. 

Of  this  iormidable  armament  the  people  of  Kentucky  had 
no  certain  intelligence  at  the  time.  The  country  was  soon 
alarmed  by  advanced  parties,  so  disposed  as  rather  to  divert 
the  attention  from,  than  direct  it  to,  the  object  of  designed 
attack,  while  the  inhabitants  even  flattered  themselves  that 
nothing  more  terrible  was  yet  to  come.  So  prone  are  husband- 
men, who  cultivate  the  soil,  to  indulge  their  hope  of  safety, 
and  their  love  of  peace,  even  in  war. 

Hasty  was  the  march  of  the  Indians,  nor  was  there  any 
scout  or  spy  on  their  route  to  collect  and  bring  an  account  of 
tlieii  approach.  So  remarkably  alike  appears  tlie  conduct  of 
both  sides,  that  each  suffers  surprise  after  surprise,  without 
changing  its  habits  of  policy.  Perhaps,  their  conditions  equally 
forbid  an  attempt,  which  would  be  ren.^ered  on  either  side 
ineffectual,  for  want  of  means. 

Two  years  before,  a  similar  army  had  surprised  and  taken 
Ruddle's  Station — Martin's  shared  the  like  fate — and  that  of 
Grant  had  been  abandoned.  Bryant's  Station  was  thence  the 
frontier  on  that  quarter,  approaching  nearest  to  the  enemy. 
It  consisted  of  about  thirty  or  forty  cabins,  and  from  forty  to 
fifty  men.  It  had  a  bastion  at  either  end,  composed  of  strong 
logs,  built  in  the  block-house  form,  with  necessary  loop-holes. 
The  cabins  were  ranged  in  two  or  three  rows  parallel  to  each 
other,  and  connected  by  strong  palisades,  where  they  did  not 
46  2H 


ill 


I'; 

mi 


i  I 


366 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


I, 


W  1 


otherwise  join.  It  had  no  supply  of  water  within,  but  a  very 
fine  spring  ran  from  the  foot  of  the  point,  on  which  it  stood, 
near  to  the  bank  of  Elkhorn,  at  that  place  but  a  small  creek. 

On  the  15th  of  August,  some  few  of  the  men  being  absent, 
and  others  in  the  adjacent  corn-field,  but  the  greater  part  of 
them  about  the  station,  the  Indians  suddenly  appeared  before 
the  place,  and  without  any  summons  commenced  an  attack 
with  small  arms.  Fortunately,  they  had  no  cannon ;  and  it 
was  recollected  that  no  station  had  been  taken  without.  Their 
numbers  were  not  known,  as  they  were  dispersed  among  the 
growing  corn,  or  concealed  by  the  fences  and  the  weeds. 

The  fort  gates  were  immediately  manned,  and  kept,  for  the 
reception  of  those  who  were  out  and  should  desire  to  enter; 
others  of  the  garrison  ran  to  the  bastions  and  loop-holes,  from 
which  they  fired  and  kept  off  the  {-.ssailants.  Some  of  the  men 
belonging  to  the  fort  entered  from  without ;  others,  thinking 
the  attempt  too  hazardous,  or  else  that  it  was  proper  to  alarm 
their  neighbours,  repaired  to  Lexington  and  other  places  with 
the  news,  and  a  call  for  help.  To  render  this,  the  utmost 
alacrity  was  everywhere  shown.  Some  volunteers  from  Lex< 
ington,  with  great  speed  and  gallantry,  threw  themselves  into 
the  place  that  evening;  the  next  day  it  was  reinforced  by 
detachments  from  Boone's  and  Strode's  Stations,  ten  or  twelve 
miles  distant.  These  parties  rode  through  a  lane,  which  led 
to  the  place  besieged,  and  were  fired  on  by  the  Indians,  lying 
behind  the  fences,  without  injury. 

The  Indians  had  made  their  camps  on  both  sides  of  the 
creek,  then  in  wood  above  the  station,  and  so  near  the  spring 
as  to  render  it  useless  to  the  garrison,  without  incurring  the 
most  imminent  danger  in  attempting  to  get  the  water  by  day, 
or  even  by  night,  notwithstanding  which  it  was  however 
obtained.  The  place  was  closely  invested  for  the  two  suo 
ceeding  days,  during  which  time  the  Indians  kept  up  almost  a 
ccmstant  fire,  on  the  one  side  6r  the  other,  from  fences,  trees, 
or  stumps,  whereby  they  killed  four  men  and  wounded  three 
others.  They  made  several  attempts  to  fire  the  cabins,  and 
for  that  purpose  shot  lighted  arrows  on  the  roofs,  and  even 
approached  the  walls  with  torches ;  but  from  these  they  were 
repulsed,  nor  had  their  ignited  arrows  the  desired  efiect.     The 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


367 


it  a  very 
it  stood, 

creek. 
;  absent, 

part  of 
id  before 
n  attack 
;  and  it 
t.  Their 
long  the 
is. 

;,  for  the 
:o  enter; 
les,  from 
the  men 
thinking 
to  alarm 
ices  with 
I  utmost 
om  LeX' 
ves  into 
jrccd  by 
>r  twelve 
hich  led 
ns,  lying 

s  of  the 
le  spring 
ring  the 
by  day, 
however 

wo    8U0 

almost  a 
Bs,  trees, 
ad  three 
►ins,  and 
md  even 
ley  were 
t.     The 


besiegers  killed  a  great  number  of  cattle,  some  of  which  they 
eat,  and  after  killing  some,  they  took  away  other  horses.  But 
having  exposed  themselves  considerably  in  their  various 
attempts,  some  of  which  were  bold,  and  after  suffering,  as  it 
was  believed,  the  loss  of  about  thirty  warriors  killed,  and  many 
others  wounded,  they  raised  the  siege  the  morning  of  the  fourth 
day.  This  experiment  had  proved  that  they  were  not  likely 
to  take  the  place  in  any  short  time,  while  they  could  but  ap- 
prehend, that  if  they  continued  before  it,  the  country  would  be 
raised  in  arms  and  brought  upon  their  backs.  They  therefore, 
after  remaining  the  third  night  in  their  camp,  about  sunrise 
the  next  morning  left  their  fires  burning,  some  bits  of  meat  on 
their  roasting  sticks,  and  deliberately  took  the  road  made  by 
buffaloes  and  hunters  to  the  lower  Blue  Licks,  by  the  way  of 
Buddie's  Station,  for  the  purpose,  as  it  was  surmised,  of  alle- 
viating their  present  mortification,  by  viewing  in  ruins  the 
scene  of  former  triumph.  For  it  was  neither  the  shortest, 
plainest,  nor  smoothest  way  to  the  Licks.  That  they  could  not 
expect  and  did  not  desire  to  conceal  their  route,  will  appear  in 
the  sequel. 

In  the  mean  time,  however.  Colonel  John  Todd,  who  resided 
m  Lexington,  despatched  intelligence  to  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Trigg,  living  at  Harrodsburgh,  of  the  attack  on  Bryant's  Station, 
leaving  it  to  the  latter  to  give  the  intelligence  to  his  superior, 
Colonsl  Benjamin  Logan.  Neither  Colonel  Trigg  nor  Colonel 
Boone,  who  had  also  been  called  on,  lost  any  time  in  collecting 
the  men  in  their  respective  neighbourhoods,  but  with  singular 
promptitude,  on  the  18th  of  the  month,  but  after  the  Lidians 
had  left  the  groand,  repaired  to  Bryant's  Station  under  the 
command  of  Todd,  as  the  superior  officer  from  Lexington,  where 
they  had  rendezvoused  their  men  under  their  appropriate 
officers.  The  majors  were  M'Garv  and  Harland,  from  near 
Harrodsburgh,  and  Levi  Todd  of  Lexington. 

The  enemy  having  retreated,  a  council  was  held  in  which  it 
was  prompt]}  decided  to  pursue  the  Indians,  without  waiting 
for  the  arrival  of  Colonel  Logan,  who  was  known  to  be  collect- 
ing a  striHig  party,  and  to  be  expected  on  the  ground  in  a  few 
days ;  but  when  arrived,  would  as  the  superior  officer  have  the 
command.     A  circumstance,  which  it  was  suspected,  both  Todd 


V, 


If  i 


ii 


368 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


iA 


11 


ti=' 


r,il 


\     1.:! 


and  Trigg  desired  to  avoid — thinking  themselves  equal  to  the 
command  and  sanguine  of  succt  -as  they  were  emulous  of 
praise,  and  possessed  an  idea  (    mental  superiority. 

In  consequence  of  the  determination  of  the  council,  the 
march  was  immediately  ordered  and  forthwith  commenced, 
under  the  command  of  Colonel  Todd,  and  next  to  him,  Colonel 
Trigg,  on  the  route  of  the  enemy :  whose  numbers,  as  yet, 
though  considerable,  were  not  known.  They  had  not  proceeded 
very  far,  before  Boone  and  some  others,  experienced  in  the 
manners  of  the  Indians,  discovered  signs  of  ostentation  and  of 
tardiness  on  their  trail,  indicative  of  their  willingness  to  be 
pursued,  and  calculated  to  point  out  their  route,  while  apparent 
caution  had  been  taken  to  conceal  their  numbers.  The  one 
was  effected  by  chopping  the  trees  on  the  way,  the  other  by 
treading  in  single  file  a  narrow  tract ;  contracting  their  camp, 
and  using  but  few  fires,  where  they  stopped  to  eat.  No  In- 
dian was  seen,  although  it  was  apparent  they  were  at  no  great 
distance  in  advance,  until  the  pursuers  reached  the  southern 
bank  of  Licking  at  the  Licks.  The  van  of  the  party  then  dis- 
covered a  few  of  them  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  travers- 
ing the  hill  side,  and  who,  apparently  without  alarm  and 
".Leisurely,  retired  over  the  hill  from  their  sight.  A  halt  was 
called,  the  principal  officers  being  assembled,  the  information 
then  given,  and  the  question  asked :  "  What  shall  be  done  ? 
Whether  is  it  best  immediately  to  cross  the  river  and  continue 
the  march,  or  stand  here  until  the  country  round  about  can  be 
reconnoitred  by  proper  parties,  and  measures  ultimately  taken 
according  to  circumstances,  either  to  attack  if  the  enemy  were 
near,  or  wait  the  arrival  of  Colonel  Logan  ?" 

Neither  of  the  superior  officers  were  much  skilled  in  the 
manner  or  custom  of  Indian  warfare :  they  were  however  willing 
to  be  informed,  and  had  actually  called  upon  Colonel  Boone 
for  his  opinion  of  the  case,  and  how  they  should  act.  This  he 
was  detailing  with  his  usual  candour  and  circumspection,  by 
adverting  to  his  own  observations  on  the  different  appearances 
on  the  road,  and  the  fact  of  the  Indians  showing  themselves  on 
the  next  hill.  As  to  the  number  of  the  enemy,  his  conjectures 
varied  from  three  to  five  hundred,  owing  to  the  ambiguous 
nature  of  the  sign  they  had  made  on  the  road.    From  the  care- 


INDIAN    WARS    OF    THE    WEST. 


369 


il  to  the 
iilous  of 

icil,  the 
menced, 
Colonel 
as  yet, 
rocceded 
in  the 
I  and  of 
ss  to  be 
ipparent 
The  one 
)ther  by 
ir  camp, 
No  In- 
no  great 
southern 
then  dis- 
travers- 
irm  and 
halt  was 
)rmation 
!  done  ? 
ontinue 
t  can  be 
y  taken 
ny  were 

in  the 
willing 

Boone 
This  he 
tion,  by 
arances 
elves  on 
jectures 
biguous 
he  care- 


less manner  in  which  the  Indians  who  had  been  seen  con- 
ducted themselves,  he  was  of  the  opinion  that  the  main  body 
was  near  and  prepared  for  action.     He  was  particularly  well 
acquainted  with  the  situation  of  the  ground  about  the  Licks, 
and  the  manner  in  which  the  river  winds  into  an  irregular 
ellipsis,  embracing    the    great  buffalo    road  and  ridge    from 
the  Licks,  towards  Limestone,  as  its  lon/^'.-st  line  of  bisection, 
and  which  is  terminated  by  two  ravines  heading  near  together 
a  mile  from  the  Licks,  and  extending  in  opposite  directions  to 
the  river.     He  had  suggested  the  probability  of  the  Indians 
having  here  formed  an  ambuscade,  the  advantages  to  them  and 
the  disadvantages  to  the  party  of  Colonels  Todd  and  Trigg, 
should  this  conjecture  be  realized  and  the  march  continued. 
He  proposed  that  the  party  should  divide ;  the  one  half  march 
up  Licking  on  the  south  side  to  the  mouth  of  a  small  creek, 
now  called  Elk  creek,  and  there  crossing  over,  proceed  on  the 
ridge  to  the  outside  of  the  ravines,  while  the  other  half  should 
advance  to  the  high  ground  on  the  north  of  the  Licks,  and 
place  itself  in  a  situation  to  co-operate  on  the  enemy  in  case 
of  attack.     He  showed  that  the  whole  advantage  of  position 
might  be  thus  turned  against  the  enemy.     And  he  insisted,  as 
;he  very  least  that  should  be  done,  if  his  superiors  were  deter- 
mined not  to  wait  for  Colonel  Logan,  was  to  have  the  country 
explored  round  about,  before  they  marched  the  main  body  over 
the  river ;  for  they  were  yet  ignorant  whether  the  Indians  had 
crossed  or  not ;  and  in  either  event,  if  they  were  near,  they 
meant  to  take  advantage  of  the  measure,  which  their  superiority 
of  r^umber  would  render  decisive.     Already  had  Boone  nearly 
gained  the  entire  approbation  of  his  superiors  and  of  those  who 
heard  his  counsel — for  in  fact  they  only  hesitated  between  his 
propositions — when  Major  M'Gary,  impatient  of  delay,  rushed 
his  horse  forward  to  the  water's  edge,  and  raised  the  war  whoop, 
next  cried  out  with  a  loud  voice :  "  Those  who  are  not  cowards, 
follow  me,  I  will  show  them  where  the  Indians  are,"  spurred 
his  horse  into  the  river.     One  followed  and  then  another  in 
quick  succession,  until  a  motion  and  agitation  was  communi- 
cated to  the  whole ;  the  council  was  broken  up ;  the  officers  who 
might  have  been  otherwise  inclined  were  forced  along  in  the 
crowd  and  tumult;  nothing  had  been  concerted,  no  distinct 

31* 


i 


i 

I 

\ 


370 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


orders  were  given,  or  if  given  not  observed ;  they  crossed  the 
river  and  pursued  the  road,  as  the  general  guide  kept  by 
M'Gary  in  front.  On  either  side  of  which  parties  flanked  off, 
as  the  unevenness  and  irregularitj'^  of  the  ground  would  permit ; 
all  moving  forward  with  the  utmost  disorder  and  precipitation 
over  a  surface  covered  with  rocks,  laid  bare  by  the  trampling 
of  the  buffalo  and  the  washing  of  the  rains,  for  ages  past. 
When  the  van  approached  the  ridge  next  within  the  ravines, 
which  have  been  mentioned,  to  the  left  an  Indian  or  two  were 
observed  on  it  at  a  distance ;  these  appeared  to  retreat  along 
the  ridge,  which  led  to  the  point  between  the  ravine  and  river. 
One  moment  of  cool  reflection  might  have  suggested  the  idea 
of  decoy,  and  the  next  would  have  shown  the  propriety  of 
caution.  It  appears,  however,  that  the  determination  to  find 
the  enemy  so  engrossed  the  party,  that  prudence  was,  like  fear, 
completely  excluded.  The  party  therefore  pressed  on  toward 
the  end  of  the  ridge,  where  it  was  covered  by  a  forest  of  oak 
trees  of  middling  size,  and  the  ravines  with  small  saplings  or 
brush  wood,  while  the  whole  extent  of  the  ellipsis  had  been 
stripped  of  all  herbage  by  the  herds  of  buffalo,  which  were  in 
the  ^  -ibit  of  resorting  to  the  Licks.  Some  scattering  trees  here 
and  there  appeared  on  a  pavement  of  rock,  as  rude  as  it  was 
singular,  throughout  the  whole  extent  of  the  field.  Both  Todd 
and  Trigg  had  deviated  from  the  main  road,  and,  probably  with 
a  view  of  taking  their  position  on  the  right  of  the  troops,  were 
far  from  the  front,  which  moved  rapidly  and  rather  obliquely, 
headed  by  M'Gary,  Harland,  and  M'Bride,  and  followed  by 
the  rest  without  regular  order ;  the  whole,  with  a  few  excep- 
tions, bein<.  armed  with  rifles  and  mounted  on  horses,  formed  a 
broken  line  corresponding  with  the  ridge  and  nearly  parallel  to 
the  ravine-,  whioK  were  filled  with  Indians. 

No  soonei'  had  M'Gnry  entered  the  forest,  than  he  dis- 
covered the  enemy  waiting  for  him;  here  the  action  imme- 
diately l)egan,  and  soon  became  warm  and  bloody ;  on  either 
side  the  rifle  was  pointed,  on  either  side  the  warrior  fell.  It 
was  discovered,  that  the  ravines  extending  the  whole  length  of 
the  line  of  Kentuckians  had  concealed  the  savages  who  fired, 
and  rushed  upon  their  foes,  not  half  their  equal  in  point  of 
numbers.     Todd  and  Trigg,  who  were  on  the  right  when  the 


>,  J  ■' 

• 

aed  the 

"  ''.      •     '■     " 

ept  by 
ked  off, 

'  ' 

serrait; 
3itation 

Lmplinjr 

I 


^  ■'-  H. 


1)1  > 


i 


■jiSSSfiii/"' 


BATTLB  or  TBI  BLUB  LICKS. 


(372) 


INDIAN    WARS    OF    THE    WEST. 


373 


4 


mt 


H 


line  fronted  the  ravines,  were  thrown  into  the  rear  when  its 
flank  was  changed,  and  it  moved  to  the  left  when  the  battle 
began.  Already  had  those  fallen ;  already  were  the  Indians 
turning  the  right  or  rear  of  this  line ;  already  had  twenty  or 
more  of  those  brave  men  who  first  engaged  breathed  their  last; 
already  was  the  line  everywhere  assailed,  when  a  retreat  com- 
menced under  the  uplifted  tomahawk.  At  the  beginning  of  the 
battle  many  of  the  men  dismounted,  while  others  did  not ;  in 
the  retreat,  some  recovered  their  horses,  others  fled  on  foot, 
over  the  rocky  field  already  described,  which  was  environed 
by  high  and  rugged  clifl's  on  either  hand,  until  it  declined  into 
a  flat,  as  it  approached  the  salt  spring.  The  ford  was  narrow,  and 
the  water,  though  shallow  on  it,  was  deep,  both  above  and  below. 
Some  of  the  fugitives  were  overtaken  (m  the  way  to  the  river, 
and  fell  beneath  the  stroke  of  the  Indian  spear  or  hatchet,  but 
at  the  water  was  a  greater  havoc — some  were  slain  in  the  water, 
some  on  either  shore.  Here  it  was,  that  a  singular  phenomenon 
was  exhibited :  a  man  by  the  name  of  Netherland,  well  mounted 
and  among  the  foremost  in  the  flight,  having  crossing  Licking 
and  gained  the  farthest  bank,  thinking  himself  out  of  danger, 
checks  his  horse,  takes  a  back  view,  sees  the  savages  preparing 
to  rush  into  the  water,  and  there  to  extinguish  the  remains  of 
many  lives,  almost  exhausted  by  wounds  and  the  fatigue  of 
flight,  cries  out  with  a  shrill  and  commanding  voice  to  those 
who  had  made  the  shore  next  to  him :  "Halt !  fire  on  the 
Indians,  and  protect  the  men  in  the  river !"  The  call  had  the 
desired  effect  on  ten  or  a  dozen,  who  immediately  halt,  fire  on 
the  enemy  and  check  their  pursuit,  probably  by  so  doing  a? 
many  lives  were  saved.  This  resistance,  however,  proves  but 
momentary ;  the  Indians  gather  rapidly  on  the  shore ;  numbers 
of  them  are  seen  crossing  the  river,  and  personal  safety 
suggests  a  speedy  flight. 

The  fugitives  were  pursued  for  miles ;  nor  did  they  find  » 
place  of  safety  short  of  Bryant's  Station,  thirty-six  miles  from 
the  scene  of  action.  Here,  many  of  those  on  horseback  arrivftU 
within  six,  and  others  on  foot  within  eight  hours,  after  tli- 
battle. 

Never  had  Kentucky  experienced  so  fatal  a  blow  as  that  ai 
the  Blue  Licks ;  of  the  one  hundred  and  sixty-six  brave  men,- 
47 


374 


INDIAN    WARS    OF    THE    WEST. 


I 


who  repaired  to  the  assistance  of  Bryants  station,  one  half,  or 
more,  were  from  Harrodsburgh,  and  its  vicinity.  The  wliole 
U)ss  on  the  side  of  Kentucky,  was  sixty  killed,  a/id  hj'vcii  made 
prisoners.  Of  the  wounded,  but  lew  es-ap-JU.  Tbe  Indians.  It 
was  said,  lost  sixty-four  killed,  bes.ilr.s  a  iiuinuer  wou.idcd. 
Such  were  the  reports  from  their  towns  atterwards;  and  thiiX 
they  masacred  four  of  their  prisoners  to  maice  the  loss  equal. 
The  equal  loss  is  doubted. 

In  tlie  midst  of  these  disastrous  events,  tnero  was  yet  one 
consolation ;  the  party  with  (Jolonel  Logan  was  considerable, 
in  full  march,  and  unbroken,  as  iindisniayea.  The  v.ui  of 
Logan's  command  had  passed  Bryant's  fetation,  on  its  way  to 
the  Blue  Licks,  when  it  was  met  by  the  fugitives  from  the 
field  of  recent  battle ;  it  then  returned  to  Bryant's,  wlicre  the 
colonel  halted,  on  receipt  of  the  intelligence,  until  the  rear 
came  up,  which  was  one  day,  and  then,  late  in  the  evening, 
resumed  his  march,  which  was  continued  the  greater  ])art  of 
the  night,  and  again,  at  sunrise  next  morning,  for  the  Licks ;  to 
engage  the  enemy  if  there,  and  if  not,  to  bury  the  dead.  About 
noon,  the  battle  ground  was  approached,  and  the  dead  bodi(i9 
seen  .strewed  along  the  field.  Some  were  mangled  by  savages, 
some  by  vultures,  some  by  wild  beasts ;  tb.ey  were  swollen, 
and  rendered  quite  yellow,  by  the  scorching  rays  of  the  sun, 
upon  their  naked  skins.  Each  man  who  had  lost '  a  par- 
ticular friend,  or  relative,  sought  for  him,  that  if  found,  he 
might  receive  the  solemn  rites  of  burial ;  if  not  found,  that 
the  hope  of  his  being  a  prisoner,  and  that  he  would  return  at 
souie  future  day,  might  be  indulged,  to  cheer  the  melancholy 
impression  of  the  scene.  But  even  this  imperfect  consolation 
was  denied ;  for  none  knew  the  remains  of  his  friend,  when 
found,  so  much  were  the  visages  of  the  dead  disfigured.  No 
Indian  carcase  was  seen :  nor  was  it  known  how  the  enemy 
had  disposed  of  their  killed,  for  no  grave  appeared ;  nor  many 
trails  of  blood. 

The  party  with  Logan,  having  performed  the  last  solemn 
duties  of  the  field,  and  no  fresh  sign  of  the  Indians  being  seen, 
it  was  m.arched  back  to  Bryant's,  and  dismissed,  to  the  number 
of  four  hundred  and  fifty  men.  A  force,  which  it  is  believed, 
under  the  direction  of  Logan,  had  it  come  up  before  the  battle, 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


375 


// 


0  half,  or 
lie  wliole 
vcM  mado 
ixlians.  It 
\voii.)(l<'d. 
ii:nl  that 
*S8  LMjual. 

3  yet  one 
sideruble, 
iL>  Villi  of 
1.8  way  to 
from  tlie 
kvliore  the 
the  roar 
'  evoiimg, 
r  ])art  of 
Licks  J  to 
d.  About 
ad  bodies 

1  savages, 
I  swollen, 

the  sun, 
it  *  a  par- 
found,  he 
und,  that 
return  at 
elancholy 
isolation 
nd,  when 
ired.  No 
le  enemy 
lor  many 

t  solemn 
iing  seen, 
e  number 

believed, 
he  battle, 


or  been  waited  for  by  Colonel  Todd  and  his  party,  would  have 
certainly  been  successful. 

The  Indian  army  consisting,  as  has  been  observed,  of  detach- 
ments from  dilferent  nations,  determined,  after  so  groat  a  victory, 
to  return  home  with  the  scalps.  Tliose  from  the  north,  being 
the  greater  portion,  gave  no  further  molestation ;  but  the 
western  bands,  taking  their  route  through  the  settlements  in 
Jefferson  county,  could  not  forego  the  temptation  which  was 
ollered  tliem  of  increasing  their  number  of  scalps  and  prisoners. 
Their  sign  was  however  seen,  before  they  struck  the  intended 
blow.  Intelligence  of  which  being  promptly  conveyed  to 
Colonel  Floyd,  lui  forthwitli  ordered  out  a  party  of  militia,  to 
scour  the  country  on  Salt  river,  where  the  savages  were  sus- 
pected to  be  lurking.  Some  of  this  party  were  from  Kinche- 
loe's  Station,  consisting  of  six  or  seven  families  on  Simpson's 
creek.  In  their  absence,  no  accident  occurred ;  but  on  the  first 
of  September,  the  party  finding  no  Indians,  dispersed,  and 
those  belonging  to  Kincheloe's  returned  home  in  the  evening. 
Thinking  all  well,  and  being  much  fatigued,  they  resigned  them- 
selves and  families  to  sleep,  when  in  the  night  the  enemy  fell 
upon  the  place  by  surprise,  and  were  in  the  houses  before  the 
people  of  them  were  awake.  Thus  circumstanced,  thej-  killed 
several  persons,  men,  women,  or  children,  and  were  proceeding 
to  destroy  or  capture  the  rest,  when  the  darkness  of  the  night 
favoured  the  escape  of  a  few. 

General  Clarke,  then  resident  at  the  falls  of  Ohio,  impressed 
with  the  liveliest  feelings  of  sympathy  for  the  distress  of  the 
sufferers,  and  convinced  of  the  necessity  of  rousing  the  country 
from  its  anguish  and  despondence,  proposed  an  expedition 
against  the  Indians,  and  invited  the  superior  officers  to  meet 
him  in  council.  This  invitation  was  complied  with,  and  the 
means  of  calling  out  the  men,  and  of  furnishing  them,  con- 
certed. A  draft  was  to  take  place  where  there  was  a  deficiency 
of  volunteers,  and  impressments  of  horses  and  other  supplies 
might  be  resorted  to,  where  voluntary  contributions  failed. 
Much  reliance  was  nevertheless  had  on  the  patriotism  and 
personal  exertions  of  the  people  generally.  Nor  was  this  con- 
fidence of  the  officers  in  the  least  disappointed.  The  intended 
expedition  being  announced,  and  the  adopted  regulations  prc»- 


l 


^z^. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


IA5I2.8     12.5 
^  lii    12.2 

i  ^   Ilia 


L25   ||U      1.6 

< 

6" 

^ 

^ 


^ 


^:^* 


Hiotographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  MS80 

(716)  872-4503 


'^ 


:\ 


a76 


INDIAN    WARS   OP    THE   WEST. 


lii 


W 


h 


claimed,  with  a  call  for  assistanoe,  soon  was  seen  the  utmost 
activity  of  preparation.  Both  officers  and  men  volunteered ; 
and  beeves,  packhorses,  and  other  supplies  offered  by  those  who 
could  not  leave  their  home.  But  in  every  case  where  property 
was  oflfered  or  impressed,  it  was  valued,  and  a  certificate  given 
to  the  former  owner,  as  evidence  of  his  claim  to  future  compen- 
sation, should  the  government  make  provision  for  payment, 
which  at  the  time  was  uncertain. 

Bryant's  Station  was  appointed  the  place  of  rendezvous  for 
the  upper  part  of  the  country,  the  falls  of  Ohio  for  the  lower, 
and  the  mouth  of  Licking  for  the  point  of  union.  There,  Gene- 
ral Clarke  was  to  take  the  command :  previous  to  which,  the 
two  divisions  were  commanded  by  Logan  and  Floyd  respect* 
ively.  In  the  last  of  September,  an  army  of  about  one  thou- 
sand mounted  militia,  anned  with  rifles,  assembled  on  the  bank 
of  the  Ohio,  and  was  put  in  motion  by  the  general  for  the 
Indian  towns  on  the  Miami  and  Scioto. 

This  expedition  was  conducted  with  the  despatch  essential 
to  the  quality  and  equipments  of  the  troops,  and  for  which  the 
commander-in-chief  had  on  former  occasions  obtained  celebrity. 
He  had  proceeded  without  being  discovered  into  the  neighbour- 
hood of  the  first  town,  and  within  half  a  mile  of  a  camp  of  the 
rear  of  the  party  that  had  been  in  Kentucky,  when  a  straggler 
discovered  his  approach,  and  gave  the  alarm  of  "a  mighty 
army  on  its  march."  The  camp  was  immediately  evacuated 
with  precipitation,  and  the  frightful  intelligence  being  spread 
through  the  different  villages,  everywhere  produced  similar 
effects,  dismay  and  flight.  Empty  cabins  and  deserted  fields 
were  only  to  be  found,  or  here  and  there  a  scouting  party  of 
savages  were  seen,  who  sometimes  fired,  sometimes  not,  but 
always  fled.  .  \ 

This  scene  was  repeated  in  the  course  c£  a  march  of  several 
days  through  the  different  Chilicothes,  Pickawa,  and  Willstown. 
These  were  severally  reduced  to  ashes,  and  the  fields  of  corn 
entirely  cut  up  and  destroyed,  leaving  only  ruin  and  desolation 
in  the  country.  Among  the  few  prisoners  taken — seven  in  all — 
there  was  an  old  man  of  distinction  in  his  tribe,  who  was 
murdered  by  Major  M'Gary ;  and  although  highly  disapproved 
by  th^  general,  it  wa3  not  deemed  prudent  to  cause  the  subject 


INDIAN    WARS    OF    THE    WEST. 


377 


)  utmost 
nteered ; 
lose  who 
property 
ite  given 
compen- 
>ayment, 

vous  for 
le  lower, 
re,  Gene- 
[lich,  the 
.  respect* 
ne  thou- 
the  ba»k 
.  for  the 

essential 
rhich  the 
jelebrity. 
jighbour- 
ip  of  the 
straggler 
,  mighty 
vacuated 
g  spread 
similar 
ed  fields 
party  of 
not,  hut 

several 
illstown. 

of  corn 
isolation 
in  all — 
rho  was 
pproved 
i  subject 


to  be  investigated.  There  were  two  other  Indians  killed, 
according  to  the  laws  of  war,  which  place  running  and  fighting 
upon  an  equal  footing  of  offence.  The  loss  of  two  men  killed 
by  the  enemy,  and  an  equal  number  by  accident,  closes  the 
account  of  losses  on  this  excursion.  And  although  its  success 
was  but  a  scanty  compensation  for  the  defeats  of  the  year,  it 
had  nevertheless  the  good  effect  of  proving  both  to  the  Indians 
and  the  people  of  Kentucky  that  the  latter  were  superior,  and 
that  there  was  no  danger  of  the  former  ever  overrunning  the 
country. 

From  this  time,  no  formidable  party  of  Indians  ever  invaded 
Kentucky,  nor  was  the  country  for  the  residue  of  the  year 
molested  by  their  scouts  or  marauders.  Consequences  attribut- 
able to  the  recent  expedition,  the  progress  of  negotiations  for  a 
general  peace,  the  conviction  of  inadequate  force,  and  the 
season  of  the  year,  for  the  winter  was  near,  and  all  the  other 
considerations  pressed  upon  them.  ' 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Moravian  Indians  were  treated  with 
unparalleled  barbarity.  In  the  spring  of  1782,  some  of  them, 
who  had  been  almost  starved  to  death  during  the  winter, 
returned  to  their  old  places  of  abode,  to  gather  what  they  could 
of  the  remainder  of  their  property.  About  the  time  they 
returned  for  that  purpose,  parties  of  Wyandots  came  down 
upon  the  settlements,  and  slew  many.  This  excited  the 
frontier-men,  and  believing  a  connexion  to  exist  between  the 
acts  of  the  Wyandots  and  the  late  movement  of  the  Moravians, 
it  was  determined  to  attack  and  extermincate  the  latter,  or  at 
least  to  waste  their  lands  and  destroy  their  towns.  Eighty  or 
ninety  men  met  for  the  purpose  of  effecting  the  objects  just 
named,  and  marched  in  silence  and  swiftness  upon  the  devoted 
villages.  They  reached  them ;  by  threats  and  lies  got  hold  of 
the  gleaiters  scattered  among  them,  and  bound  their  prisoners, 
while  they  deliberated  upon  their  fate.  Williamson,  the  com- 
mander of  the  party,  put  the  question :  Shall  these  men, 
women,  and  children  be  taken  to  Pittsburgh,  or  be  killed  ?  Of 
the  eighty  or  ninety  men  present,  sixteen  or  eighteen  only 
were  for  granting  their  lives ;  and  the  prisoners  were  told  to 
prepare  for  death.  They  prepared  for  death,  and  soon  were 
dead ;  slaughtered,  some  say  in  one  way,  and  some  in  another ; 


37b 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


but  thus  much  is  certain,  that  eighty  or  ninety  American  men 
murdered,  in  cold  blood,  about  forty  men,  twenty  women,  and 
thirty-four  children, — all  defenceless  and  innocent  fellow 
Christians. 

It  was  in  March  of  1782,  that  this  great  murder  was  com- 
mitted. And  as  the  tiger,  having  once  tasted  blood,  longs  for 
blood,  80  it  was  with  the  frontier-men  ;  and  another  expedition 
wos  at  once  organized,  to  make  a  dash  at  the  towns  of  the 
Moravian  Delawarea  and  Wyandots  upon  the  Sandusky.  No 
Indian  was  to  be  spared ;  friend  or  foe,  every  red  man  was  to 
die.  The  commander  of  the  expedition  was  Colonel  William 
Cmwford,  Washington's  old  agent  in  the  West.  He  did  not 
want  to  go,  but  found  it  could  not  be  avoided.  The  troops, 
numbering  nearly  five  hundred  men,  marched  in  June  to  the 
Sandusky  uninterrupted.  There  they  found  the  towns  deserted, 
and  the  savages  on  the  alert.  A  battle  ensued,  and  the  whites 
were  forced  to  retreat.  In  their  retreat  many  left  the  main 
body ;  and  nearly  all  who  did  so  perished.  Crawford  was  cap- 
tured and  burned  at  the  stake,  after  being  subjected  to  horrible 
tortures. 

The  peace  between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States,  con- 
cluded in  1783,  did  not  lead  at  once  to  the  cessation  of  Indian 
hostilities.  Tlie  British  government  determined  not  to  sur- 
render the  posts  in  the  northwestern  territory  until  certain 
claims  were  adjusted,  and  there  is  every  reason  to  believe  that 
British  agents  were  actively  employed  among  the  Indians,  to 
render  them  inimical  to  the  States.  Still,  the  commissioners 
of  the  west  contrived  to  get  the  assent  of  a  number  of  the 
tribes  to  advantageous  treaties.  The  indefinite  claim  of  the 
Six  Nations  to  the  northwestern  territory  was  extinguished  by 
a  treaty  concluded  at  Fort  Stanwix  on  the  22d  of  October,  1783. 
Arthur  Lee,  Richard  Butler,  and  Colonel  Clark,  on  the  21st 
of  January,  1785,  held  a  conference  with  the  Wyandots,  De- 
lawares,  Chippeways,  and  Ottawas,  at  Fort  M'Intosh,  and 
obtained  the  grant  of  a  large  portion  of  the  northwestern 
territory,  for  the  settlement  of  which  a  company  was  immedi- 
ately formed  in  New  England.  On  the  31st  of  January,  1786, 
another  treaty  was  concluded  at  the  mouth  of  the  Miami, 
between  Clark,  Butler,  and  Parsons,  and  representatives  of  the 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


370 


n,  and 
fellow 


Delawares,  Wyandots,  and  Shawnees.  The  "Wabash  Indians 
refused  to  attend  this  council,  and  evinced  a  growing  hostility. 
The  treaty  was  only  brought  to  an  advantageous  conclusion  by 
the  politic  bearing  of  Clarke,  who,  by  showing  the  red  men 
that  he  was  indifferent  whether  they  accepted  peace  or  war, 
daunted  them,  and  was  enabled  to  dictate  terms.  Still,  in  spito 
of  treaties,  the  Indians  continued  to  make  predatory  incursions 
along  the  frontier. 

Upon  the  16th  of  May  the  Governor  of  Virginia  was  forced 
to  write  upon  the  subject  to  Congress,  which  at  once  sent  two 
companies  down  the  Ohio  to  the  Falls,  and  upon  the  30th  oi" 
June  authorized  the  raising  of  militia  in  Kentucky,  and  the 
invasion  of  the  country  of  the  mischief-makers,  under  the  com- 
mand of  the  leading  United  States  officer.  We  do  not  learn 
that  it  was  nominally  under  this  resolution  that  General 
Clarke's  expedition  of  the  ensuing  fall  was  undertaken ;  but  at 
any  rate  this  act  on  the  part  of  Congress  justified  offensive 
measures  on  the  part  of  the  Kentuckians  when  they  became 
necessary;  and  it  being  thought  necessary  to  act  upon  the 
Wabash  before  winter,  a  body  of  a  thousand  men  or  more 
gathered  at  the  Falls,  and  marched  thence  towards  Vincennes, 
which  place  they  reached  some  time  in  September,  1786.  Here 
the  army  remained  inactive  during  nine  days,  waiting  the 
arrival  of  their  provisions  and  ammunition,  which  had  been 
sent  down  to  the  mouth  of  the  Wabash  in  boats,  and  were 
delayed  by  the  low  water.  This  stay,  so  different  from  Clarke's 
old  mode  of  proceeding,  was  in  opposition  to  his  advice,  and 
proved  fatal  to  the  expedition.  The  soldiers  became  restive,  and 
their  confidence  in  the  General  being  destroyed,  by  discovering 
the  fact  that  his  clear  mind  was  too  commonly  confused  and 
darkened  by  the  influence  of  ardent  spirits,  they  at  last  refused 
obedience ;  a  body  of  three  hundred  turned  their  faces  home- 
ward, and  the  rest  soon  followed  in  their  track.  Another 
expedition  conducted  by  Colonel  Logan  against  the  Shawnees, 
who  had  resumed  hostilities,  terminated  very  differently  from 
that  under  the  conqueror  of  Illinois ;  their  towns  were  burned 
and  their  crops  wasted. 

Various  attempts  were  now  made  to  bring  the  Indians  to  a  de- 
finitive treaty  of  peace,  in  order  to  secure  the  Ohio  settlers  from 


880 


INDIAN    WARS    OF    THE    WEST. 


/ 


auraiUL  ST.  OLAIB. 


\ 


hostile  incursions.  These  efforts  were  not  successful,  until 
January,  1789,  when  a  council  was  held  at  Fort  Harmar,  on 
the  Ohio,  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Muskingum.  In  the  sum- 
mer of  the  same  year.  Marietta,  the  first  settlement  in  Ohio, 
was  founded  under  cheering  auspices,  and  other  settlements 
were  made  soon  afterwards.  The  Indians,  however,  respected 
no  treaties,  and  continued  their  depredations  along  the  frontier. 
The  Wabash  tribes  threatened  to  destroy  all  settlements  made 
north  of  the  Ohio,  and  west  of  Pittsburgh.  Fort  Washington 
was  begun  in  June  of  this  year,  on  the  site  of  Cincinnati.  The 
garrison  consisted  of  140  men,  under  the  command  of  Major 
Doughty.  Upon  the  29th  of  December,  General  Harmar,  with 
three  hundred  additional  troops,  arrived.  General  St.  Clair  was 
appointed  Governor  of  the  territory,  north  of  the  Ohio.  Soon 
after,  news  arrived  that  the  Wabash  Indians  and  other  tribes, 
protesting  against  the  treaty  of  Fort  Harmar  as  made  by  un- 
authorized persons,  had  taken  up  arms  and  had  burned  an 
American. 

St.  Clair  and  Harmar  then  concerted  a  plan  for  a  campaign 
into  the  Indian  country.  Authorized  by  acts  of  Congress,  St. 
Clair  called  upon  Virginia  for  1000,  and  upon  Pennsylvania  for 
600  militia.    Of  these,  300  were  to  meet  at  Fort  Steuben,  to 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


381 


ful,  until 
irmar,  on 
the  sum- 
in  Ohio, 
ttlements 
respected 
frontier, 
nts  made 
ishington 
ati.    The 
of  Major 
lar,  with 
lair  was 
0.     Soon 
r  tribes, 
e  hy  un- 
irned  an 

ampaign 
jress,  St. 
^ania  for 
juben,  to 


aid  the  troops  from  Fort  Knox  against  the  Weas  and  Kickapoos, 
of  the  Wabash ;  700  were  to  gather  at  Fort  Washington,  and 

/         600  just  below  Wheeling ;  the  two  latter  bodies  being  intended 
to  march   with    the  regulars  from  Fort  Washington   under 

1^  General  Harmar,  against  the  towns  at  the  junction  of  the  St. 

Mary  and  the  St.  Joseph.  The  Kentucky  militia  began  to 
come  in  at  Fort  Washington  about  the  middle  of  September, 
1790.  They  were  badly  equipped,  and  averse  to  subordination 
and  camp  discipline.  On  the  20th  of  September,  the  various 
troops  designed  for  the  expedition  rendezvoused  at  Fort 
Washington,  and  on  the  following  day  commenced  their  march 
to  the  Miami  villages.  The  country  was  rough,  swampy,  and 
in  many  places  almost  impassable,  so  that  seventeen  days  were 
consumed  before  the  main  body  could  come  within  striking 
distance  of  the  enemy.  In  the  mean  time,  the  great  scarcity 
of  provisions  rendered  it  necessary  for  the  general  to  sweep  the 
forest  with  numerous  small  detachments,  and  as  the  woods 
swarmed  with  roving  bands  of  Indians,  most  of  these  parties 
were  cut  oflF. 

At  length,  the  main  body,  considerably  reduced  by  this  petty 
warfare,  came  within  a  few  miles  of  their  towns.  Here  the 
general  ordered  Captain  Armstrong,  at  the  head  of  thirty 
regulars,  and  Colonel  Hardin  of  Kentucky,  with  one  hundred 
and  fifty  militia,  to  advance  and  reconnoitre.  In  the  execution 
of  this  order  they  suddenly  found  themselves  in  the  presence 
of  a  superior  number  of  Indians,  who  suddenly  arose  from  the 
bushes  and  opened  a  heavy  fire  upon  them.  The  militia  in- 
stantly gave  way,  while  the  regulars,  accustomed  to  more 
orderly  movements,  attempted  a  regular  retreat.  The  enemy 
rushed  upon  them  tomahawk  in  hand,  and  completely  sur- 
rounded them.  The  regulars  attempted  to  open  a  passage  with 
the  bayonet,  but  in  vain;  they  were  all  destroyed,  with  the 
exception  of  their  captain  and  one  lieutenant. 

Captain  Armstrong  was  remarkably  stout  and  active,  and 
succeeded  in  breaking  through  the  enemy's  line,  although  not 
without  receiving  several  severe  wounds.  Finding  himself  hard 
pressed,  he  plunged  into  a  deep  and  miry  swamp,  where  he 
lay  concealed  during  the  whole  night  within  two  hundred  yards 
of  the  Indian  camp,  and  witnessed  the  dances  and  joyous 
48  2x2 


II 


U 
;  I 


382 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


it',     ' 


ViA  •t!: 


festivity  with  which  they  celebrated  their  victory.  The  lieu- 
tenant (Haitshom),  escaped  by  accidentally  stumbling  over  a 
log,  and  falling  into  a  pit,  where  he  lay  concealed  by  the  rank 
grass  which  grew  around  him.  The  loss  of  the  militia  was 
very  trifling.  Notwithstanding  this  severe  check,  Harmai 
advanced  with  the  main  body  upon  their  villages,  which  he 
found  deserted  and  in  flames,  the  Indians  having  fired  thera 
with  their  own  hands.  Here  he  found  several  hundred  acres 
of  corn,  which  was  completely  destroyed.  He  then  advanced 
upon  the  adjoining  villages,  which  he  found  deserted  and 
burned  as  the  first  had  been.  Having  destroyed  all  the  corn 
which  he  found,  the  army  commenced  its  retreat  from  the 
Indian  country,  supposing  the  enemy  sufficiently  intimidated. 

After  marching  about  ten  miles  on  the  homeward  route, 
General  Harmar  received  information  which  induced  him  to 
suppose  that  a  body  of  Indians  had  returned  and  taken  posses- 
sion of  the  village  which  he  had  just  left.  He  detached,  there- 
fore, eighty  regular  troops  under  the  orders  of  Major  Wyllys, 
and  nearly  the  whole  of  his  militia  under  Colonel  Hardin,  with 
orders  to  return  to  the  village  and  destroy  such  of  the  enemy 
as  presented  themselves.  The  detachment  accordingly  counter- 
marched and  proceeded  with  all  possible  despatch  to  the  ap- 
pointed spot,  fearful  only  that  the  enemy  might  hear  of  their 
movement  and  escape  before  they  could  come  up.  The  militia 
in  loose  order  took  the  advance;  the  regulars  moving  in  a 
hollow  square  brought  up  the  rear.  Upon  the  plain  in  front 
of  the  town,  a  number  of  Indians  were  seen,  between  whom 
and  the  militia  a  sharp  action  commenced.  After  a  few  rounds, 
with  considerable  efiect  upon  both  sides,  the  savages  fled  in 
disorder,  and  were  eagerly  and  impetuously  pursued  by  the 
militia,  who  in  the  ardour  of  the  chase  were  drawn  into  the 
woods  to  a  considerable  distance  from  the  regulars. 

Suddenly  from  the  opposite  quarter  several  hundred  Indians 
appeared,  rushing  with  loud  yells  upon  the  unsupported 
regulars.  Major  Wyllys,  who  was  a  brave  and  experienced 
officer,  formed  his  men  in  a  square,  and  endeavoured  to  gain  a 
more  favourable  spot  of  ground,  but  was  prevented  by  the 
desperate  impetuosity  with  which  the  enemy  assailed  him. 
Unchecked  by  the  murderous  fire  which  was  poured  upon  them 


11  ii-^ 


INDIAN    WARS    OF    THE    WEST. 


S89 


The  lieu- 
ig  over  a 

the  rank 
ilitia  was 
,  Harmai 
which  he 
ired  them 
I  red  acres 
advanced 
jrted  and 
1  the  corn 
from  the 
midated. 
trd  route, 
d  him  to 
en  posses- 
ed,  there- 
r  Wyllys, 
rdin,  with 
he  enemy 
r  counter- 
;o  the  ap- 
r  of  their 
le  militia 
ing  in  a 
1  in  front 
en  whom 
"i  rounds, 
IS  fled  in 
I  by  the 

into  the 

Indians 
upported 
lerienced 
)o  gain  a 

by  the 
ed  him. 
on  them 


from  the  diiTerunt  MidcH  of  the  square,  they  rushed  in  masses  up 
to  the  points  of  the  bayonets,  hurled  their  tomahawks  with 
fatal  accuracy,  uiul  putting  aside  the  bayonets  with  their  hands, 
or  clogging  thuin  with  their  bodies,  they  were  quickly  mingled 
with  the  troops,  and  handled  their  long  knives  with  destructive 
effect.  *In  two  uiinutoH  the  bloody  struggle  was  over.  Major 
Wyllys  full,  together  with  seventy-three  privates  and  one 
lieutenant.  One  captain,  one  ensign,  and  seven  privates,  three 
of  whom  wore  wounded,  were  the  sole  survivors  of  this  short 
but  desfwrato  encounter. 

The  Indian  loss  was  nearly  equal,  as  they  sustained  several 
heavy  fires  which  the  closeness  of  their  masses  rendered  very 
destructive,  and  as  they  rushed  upon  the  bayonets  of  the  troops 
with  the  most  aMtonishing  disregifird  to  their  own  safety.  Their 
object  was  to  overwhelm  the  regulars  before  the  militia  could 
return  to  their  support,  and  it  was  as  boldly  executed  as  it  had 
been  finely  conceived.  In  a  short  time  the  militia  returned 
from  the  pursuit  of  the  flying  party  which  had  decoyed  them 
to  a  distance ;  but  it  was  now  too  late  to  retrieve  the  fortune 
of  the  day.  After  some  sharp  skirmishing,  they  effected  their 
retreat  to  the  main  body,  with  the  loss  of  one  hundred  and 
eight  killed  and  twenty-eight  wounded.  This  dreadful  slaughter 
so  reduced  the  strength  an<l  spirits  of  Harmar's  army,  that  he 
was  happy  in  being  permitted  to  retreat  unmolested,  having 
totally  failed  in  atjcomplishing  the  objects  of  the  expedition, 
and  by  obstinately  persevering  in  the  ruinous  <  k  n  of  acting  in 
detachments,  having  thrown  away  the  lives  of  x.iore  than  half 
of  his  regular  force.  This  abortive  expedition  served  only 
to  encourage  the  enemy,  and  to  give  additional  rancour  to  their 
incursions. 

The  inhabitants  of  Kentucky  now  petitioned  Congress  for 
permission  to  fight  the  Indians  in  their  own  way,  and  upon 
the  9th  of  Marcli,  1791,  orders  were  issued  to  Brigadier  Gene- 
ral Scott,  authorising  him,  in  conjunction  with  Harry  Innis, 
John  Brown,  13enjaniin  Logan,  and  Isaac  Shelby,  to  organize 
an  expedition  of  mounted  volunteers  against  the  nations  upon 
the  Wabash.  On  the  23d  of  May,  the  detachment  took  up  its 
line  of  march  from  the  Ohio.  Colonel  John  Hardin,  who 
burned  to  retrieve  his  fame,  led  the  van  and  directed  the  scouts 


384 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


■MLBT. 


and  rangers.  On  the  Ist  of  June,  the  towns  of  the  enemy 
were  discovered.  We  give  General  Scott's  account  of  the 
movements  that  followed. 

"  I  immediately  detached  Colonel  John  Hardin,"  says  he, 
"with  sixty  mounted  infantry,  and  a  troop  of  light-horse  under 
Captain  M'Coy,  to  attack  the  villages  to  the  left,  and  moved  on 
briskly  with  my  main  body  in  order  of  battle,  towards  the 
town,  the  smoke  of  which  was  discernible.  My  guides  were 
deceived  with  respect  to  the  situation  of  the  town :  for,  instead 
of  standing  at  the  edge  of  the  plain  through  which  I  marched, 
I  found  it  on  the  low  ground  bordering  on  the  Wabash :  on 
turning  the  point  of  woods,  one  house  presented  in  my  front. 
Captain  Price  was  ordered  to  assault  that  with  forty  men. 
He  executed  the  command  with  great  gallantry,  and  killed 
two  warriors. 

"When  I  gained  the  summit  of  the  eminence  which  over- 
looks the  villages  on  the  banks  of  the  Wabash,  I  discovered 
the  enemy  in  great  confusion,  endeavouring  to  make  their 
escape  over  the  river  in  canoes.  I  instantly  ordered  Lieutenant 
Colonel-commandant  Wilkinson  to  rush  forward  with  the  first 
battalion.  The  order  was  executed  with  promptitude,  and 
this  detachment  gained  the  bank  of  the  river  just  as  the  rear 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


886 


i 

he  enemy 
nt  of  the 

says  he, 
orse  under 
moved  on 
wards  the 
nides  were 
jr,  instead 
'  marched, 
abash :  on 
my  front, 
brty  men. 
md  killed 

lich  over- 
liscovered 
lake  their 
lieutenant 
the  first 
ude,  and 
i  the  rear 


of  the  enemy  had  embarked ;  and,  regardless  of  a  brisk  fire 
kept  up  from  a  Kickapoo  town  on  the  opposite  bank,  they  in  a 
few  minutes,  by  a  well  directed  fire  from  their  rifles,  destroyed 
all  the  savages  with  which  five  canoes  were  crowded.  To  my 
great  mortification  the  Wabash  was  many  feet  beyond  fording 
at  this  place :  I  therefore  detached  Colonel  Wilkinson  to  a  ford 
two  miles  above,  which  my  guides  informed  me  was  more 
practicable.  Wilkinson  moved  the  first  battalion  up  to  the 
fording  place,  found  the  river  impassable,  and  returned  to 
Ouiatenon. 

"  The  enemy  still  kept  possession  of  the  Kickapoo  town :  I 
determined  to  dislodge  them ;  and  for  that  purpose  ordered 
Captain  King's  and  Logsdon's  companies  to  march  down  the 
river  below  the  town,  and  cross,  under  the  conduct  of  Major 
Barboe.  Several  of  the  men  swam  the  river,  and  others  passed 
in  a  small  canoe.  This  movement  was  unobserved  ;  and  my 
men  had  taken  post  on  the  bank  before  they  were  discovered 
by  the  enemy,  who  immediately  abandoned  the  village.  About 
this  time  word  was  brought  to  me  that  Colonel  Hardin  was 
encumbered  with  prisoners,  and  had  discovered  a  stronger 
village  further  to  my  left  than  those  I  had  observed,  which 
he  was  proceeding  to  attack.  I  immediately  detached  Captain 
Brown,  with  his  company,  to  support  the  Colonel :  but  the 
distance  being  six  miles,  before  the  Captain  arrived  the  business 
was  done,  and  Colonel  Hardin  joined  me  a  little  before  sunset, 
having  killed  six  warriors,  and  taken  fifty-two  prisoners. 
Captain  Bull,  the  warrior  who  discovered  me  in  the  morning, 
had  gained  the  main  town,  and  given  the  alarm,  a  short  time 
before  me;  but  the  villages  to  my  left  were  uninformed  of 
my  approach,  and  had  no  retreat. 

"  The  next  morning  I  determined  to  detach  my  Lieutenant 
Colonel-commandant,  with  five  hundred  men,  to  destroy  the 
important  town  of  Keth-tip-e-ca-nunk,  eighteen  miles  from 
my  camp,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Wabash ;  but  on  examina- 
tion, I  discovered  my  men  and  horses  to  be  so  crippled  and 
worn  down  by  a  long  laborious  march,  and  the  active  exer- 
tions of  the  preceding  day,  that  three  hundred  and  sixty 
men  only  could  be  found  in  a  capacity  to  undertake  the 
enterprise,  and  they  p^^pared  to   march   on   foot.     Colonel 


380 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


Wilkinson  marched  with  this  detachment  at  half  nfter  five  in 
the  evening,  and  returned  to  my  camp  the  next  day  at  one 
o'clock,  having  marched  thirty-Hix  miles  in  twelve  hours,  and 
destroyed  the  most  important  settlement  of  the  enemy  in 
that  quarter  of  the  federal  territory. 

"Many  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  village  (Ouiatcnon)  wore 
French,  and  lived  in  a  state  of  civilization.  By  the  books, 
letters,  and  other  documents,  found  there,  it  is  evident  that 
place  was  in  close  connexion  with,  and  dependent  on,  Detroit. 
A  large  quantity  of  corn,  a  variety  of  household  goods,  peltry, 
and  other  articles  were  burned  with  this  village,  which  con- 
sisted of  about  seventy  houses,  many  of  them  well  finished." 

As  the  expedition  under  Scott,  although  successful,  had  not 
reached  the  higher  towns  upon  the  Wabash,  Governor  St. 
Clair  thought  it  best  to  send  another  (the  Secretary  of  War 
having  authorized  such  a  step),  against  the  villages  on  Eel 
river ;  and  Wilkinson  was  appointed  to  command.  He  marched 
from  near  Fort  Washington,  upon  the  first  of  August,  and  on 
the  7th  reached  the  Wabash  just  above  the  mouth  of  the  river 
he  was  in  search  of.  While  reconnoitring,  however,  in  the  hope 
of  surprising  the  natives,  word  was  brought  him  that  they 
were  alarmed  and  flying;  a  general  charge  was  instantly 
ordered. 

"  The  men,"  says  Wilkinson,  "  forcing  their  way  over  every 
obstacle,  plunged  through  the  river  with  vast  intrepidity.  The 
enemy  was  .unable  to  make  the  smallest  resistance.  Six  war- 
riors, and  (in  the  hurry  and  confusion  of  the  charge)  two 
squaws  and  a  child,  were  killed,  thirty-four  prisoners  were 
taken,  and  an  unfortunate  captive  released,  with  the  loss  of 
two  men  killed  and  one  wounded. 

"  I  found  this  town  scattered  along  Eel  river  for  full  three 
miles,  on  an  uneven,  scrubby  oak  barren,  intersected  alternately 
by  bogs  almost  impassable,  and  impervious  thickets  of  plum, 
hazle,  and  black  jacks.  Notwithstanding  these  difficulties,  if  I 
may  credit  the  report  of  the  prisoners,  very  few  who  were  in 
town  escaped.  Expecting  a  second  exiDedition,  their  goods 
were  generally  packed  up  and  buried.  Sixty  warriors  had 
crossed  the  Wabash  to  watch  the  paths  leading  from  the  Ohio. 
The  head  chief,  with  all  the  prisoners,  and  a  number  of  families, 


'i  *:,'' 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


S8( 


after  five  in 

day  at  one 

e  hoiiFH,  and 

JO  enemy  in 

itenon)  were 
^  the  bookn, 
evident  that 
on,  Detroit. 
)odK,  peltn-, 
which  oon- 
finiHlied." 
iful,  had  not 
overnor  St. 
ary  of  War 
ges  on  Eel 
He  inarched 
just,  and  on 
of  the  river 
in  the  hope 
I  that  they 
8  instantly 

over  every 
►idity.  The 
Six  war- 
harge)  two 
oners  were 
;he  loss  of 

r  full  three 
alternately 
8  of  plum, 

ulties,  if  I 
ho  were  in 
heir  goods 
priors   had 

the  Ohio. 
3f  families, 


were  out  digging  a  root  wiiich  tiiey  Hulwtituto  in  the  place  of 
llio  potato;  and  about  one  hour  h'foro  my  arrival,  all  the 
warriors,  except  eight,  had  mounted  their  hor.scH,  and  rode  up 
the  river  to  a  French  store  to  purclmse  ammunition.  This 
amnmnition  had  arrived  from  the  Miunii  village  that  very  day, 
and  the  squaws  informed  mo  was  stored  about  two  miles  from 
the  town.  I  detached  Major  Caldwell  in  quest  of  it;  but  lu' 
failed  to  make  any  discovery,  although  he  scoured  the  country 
for  seven  or  eight  miles  up  the  river. 

"I  encamped  in  the  town  that  night,  and  the  next  morning  I 
cut  up  the  corn,  scarcely  in  the  milk,  burnt  the  cabins,  mounted 
the  young  warriors,  squaws,  and  children,  in  the  best  manner 
in  my  power,  and  leaving  two  infirm  s(|uaw8  and  a  child,  with 
a  short  talk,  I  commenced  my  march  for  the  Kickapoo  town  in 
the  prairie." 

The  Kickapoo  prairie  metropolis  was  not  reached  ;  the  horses 
were  too  sore,  and  the  bogs  too  deep;  but  various  cornfields 
were  destroyed,  "  and  a  respectable"  Kickapoo  town  given  to 
the  flames;  for  which  the  General  was  duly  thanked  by  his 
country. 

In  the  mean  time,  preparations  were  making  for  an  expedition 
on  a  greater  scale,  under  the  command  of  Genehil  St.  Clair. 
Cincinnati,  as  usual,  was  the  place  of  rendezvous.  In  Septem- 
ber, 1791,  an  army  was  assembled  at  that  place,  greatly 
superior,  in  numbers,  officers,  and  tniuipments,  to  any  which 
had  yet  appeared  in  the  west.  The  regular  Ibiec  was  composed 
of  three  complete  regiments  of  infantry,  two  companies  of 
artillery,  and  one  of  cavalry.  The  militia  who  joined  St.  Clair 
at  Fort  Washington,  amounted  to  upwards  of  six  hundred  men, 
most  of  whom  had  long  been  accustomed  to  Indian  warfare. 
The  General  commenced  his  march  from  Cincinnati  on  the  17th 
of  September,  and  following  the  route  of  Harraar,  arrived  at 
Fort  Jefferson  without  material  loss,  although  not  without 
having  sustained  much  inconvenience  from  scarcity  of  provi- 
sions. The  Kentucky  rangers,  amounting  to  upwards  of  two 
hundred  men,  had  encountered  several  small  parties  of  Indians, 
but  no  serious  affivir  had  as  yet  taken  place.  Shortly  after 
leaving  Fort  Jefferson,  one  of  the  militia  regiments,  with  their 
usual  disregard  to  discipline,  determined  that  it  was  inexpedient 


388 


INDIAN    WARS    OF    THE    WEST. 


to  proceed  farther,  and  detaching  themselves  from  the  main 
bady.  returned  rapidly  to  the  fort  on  their  way  home.  This 
ill-timed  mutiny  not  only  discouraged  the  remainder,  but  com- 
pelled the  General  to  detach  the  first  regiment  in  pursuit  of 
them,  if  not  to  bring  them  back,  at  least  to  prevent  them  from 
injuring  the  stores,  collected  at  the  fort  for  the  use  of  the 
army.  With  the  remahider  of  the  troops,  amounting  in  all  to 
about  twelve  hundred  men,  he  continued  his  march  to  the 
groat  Miami  villages. 

Ou  the  evening  of  the  3d  of  November,  he  encamped  upon  a 
very  commanding  piece  of  ground,  upon  the  bank  of  one  of  the 
tributaries  of  the  Wabash,  where  he  determined  to  throw  up 
some  slight  works  for  the  purpose  of  protecting  their  knapsacks 
and  baggage,  having  to  move  upon  the  Miami  villages,  supposed 
to  be  within  twelve  miles,  as  soon  as  the  first  regiment  should 
rejoin  them.  The  remainder  of  the  evening  was  employed  in 
concerting  the  plan  of  the  proposed  work  with  Major  Ferguson 
of  the  engineers,  and  when  the  centries  were  posted  at  night, 
everything  was  as  quiet  as  could  have  been  desired.  The  troops 
were  encamped  in  t'.vo  lines,  with  an  interval  of  seventy  yards 
between  them,  which  was  all  that  the  nature  of  the  ground 
would  permit.  The  battalions  of  Majors  Butler,  Clarke,  and 
Patterson,  composed  the  front  line,  the  whole  under  the  orders 
of  Major-General  Butler,  an  officer  of  high  and  merited  repu- 
tation. The  front  of  the  line  was  covert  1  by  a  creek,  its  right 
flank  by  the  river,  and  its  left  by  a  strong  corps  of  infantry. 
The  second  line  was  composed  of  the  battalions  of  Majors 
Gaither  and  Bedinger,  and  the  second  regiment  under  the  com- 
mand of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Darke.  This  line,  like  the  other, 
was  secured  upon  one  flank  by  the  river,  and  upon  the  other 
by  the  cavalry  and  pickets.  The  night  passed  away  without 
alarm.  The  sentinels  were  vigilant,  and  the  officers  upon  the 
alert. 

A  few  hours  before  day,  St.  Clair  caused  the  reveille  to  be 
beaten,  and  the  troops  to  be  paraded  under  arms,  under  the 
expectation  that  an  attack  would  probably  be  made.  In  this 
situation,  they  continued  until  daylight,  when  they  were  dis- 
missed to  their  tents.  Some  were  endeavouring  to  snatch  a 
few  minutes'  sleep,  others  were  preparing  for  the  expected 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    VEST. 


889 


the  main 
•me.  This 
[•,  but  com- 
pnrsuit  of 
them  from 
ise  of  the 
ig  in  all  to 
'ch  to  the 

)ed  upon  a 
one  of  the 

throw  up 
knapsacks 
I,  supposed 
nt  should 
iployed  in 
'  Ferguson 
I  at  night, 
rhe  troops 
mty  yards 
le  ground 
larke,  and 
the  orders 
ited  repu- 
its  right 

infantry. 

'  Majors 
*  the  com- 
the  other, 
the  other 
y  without 

upon  the 

ille  to  be 
inder  the 
In  this 
were  dis- 
snatch  a 
expected 


march,  when  suddenly  the  report  of  a  rifle  was  heard  from  the 
militia  a  few  hundred  yards  in  front,  which  was  quickly 
followed  by  a  sharp  irregular  volley  in  the  same  direction.  The 
drums  instantly  beat  to  arras,  the  officers  flew  in  every  direc- 
tion, and  in  two  minutes  the  troops  were  formed  in  order  of 
battle.  Presently  the  militia  rushed  into  the  camp,  in  the 
utmost  disorder,  closely  pursued  by  swarms  of  Indians,  who,  in 
many  places,  were  mingled  with  them,  and  were  cutting  them 
down  with  their  tomahawks. 

Major  Butler's  battalion  received  the  first  shock,  and  was 
thrown  into  disorder  by  the  tumultuous  flight  of  the  militia, 
who,  in  their  eagerness  to  escape,  bore  down  everything  before 
them.  Here  Major-General  Butler  had  stationed  himself,  and 
here  St.  Clair  directed  his  attention,  in  order  to  remedy  the 
confusion  which  began  to  spread  rapidly  through  the  whole 
line.  The  Indians  pressed  forward  with  great  audacity,  and 
many  of  them  were  mingled  with  the  troops,  before  their  pro- 
gress could  be  checked.  Major-General  Butler  was  wounded 
at  the  first  fire,  and  before  his  wound  could  be  dressed,  an 
Indian  who  had  penetrated  the  ranks  of  the  regiment,  ran  up 
to  the  spot  where  he  lay,  and  tomahawked  him  before  his 
attendants  could  interpose.  The  desperate  savage  was  instantly 
killed.  By  great  exertions,  Butler's  battalion  was  restored  to 
order,  and  the  heavy  and  sustained  fire  of  the  first  line  com- 
pelled the  enemy  to  pause  and  shelter  themselves. 

This  interval,  however,  endured  but  for  a  moment.  An  in- 
visible but  tremendous  fire  quickly  opened  upon  the  whole 
front  of  the  encampment,  which  rapidly  extended  to  the  rear, 
and  encompassed  the  troops  on  both  sides.  St.  Clair,  who  at 
that  time  was  worn  down  by  a  fever,  and  unable  to  mount  his 
horse,  never'^heless,  as  is  universally  admitted,  exerted  himself 
with  a  courage  and  presence  of  mind  worthy  of  «£  better  fate. 
He  instantly  directed  his  litter  to  the  right  of  the  rear  line, 
where  the  groat  weight  of  fire  fell,  and  where  the  slaughter, 
particularly  of  the  officers,  was  terrible.  Here  Darke  com- 
manded, an  officer  who  had  been  trained  to  hard  service,  during 
the  revolutionary  war,  and  who  was  now  gallantly  exerting 
himself  to  check  the  consternation  which  was  evidently  be- 
ginning to  prevail.  St.  Clair  ordered  him  to  make  a  rapid 
49  2K 


:  I: 


390 


INDIAN    WARS    OF    THE    WEST. 


chfirgo  with  the  bayonet,  and  rouse  the  enemy  from  their 
covert, 

Tho  order  was  instantly  obeyed,  and,  at  first,  apparently 
with  grojit  effect.  Swarms  of  dusky  bodies  arose  from  the  high 
grass,  and  fled  before  the  regiment  with  every  mark  of  conster- 
nation ;  but  as  the  troops  were  unable  to  overtake  them,  they 
quickly  recovered  their  courage,  and  kept  up  so  fatal  a  retreat- 
ing fire,  that  the  exhausted  regulars  were  compelled,  in  their 
turn,  to  give  way.  This  charge,  however,  relieved  that  par- 
ticular point  for  some  time;  but  the  weight  of  the  fire  was 
transferred  to  the  centre  of  the  first  line,  where  it  threatened 
to  annihilate  everything  within  its  range.  There,  in  turn, 
the  unfortunate  General  was  borne  by  his  attendants,  and 
ordered  a  second  appeal  to  the  bayonet.  This  second  charge 
was  made  with  the  same  impetuosity  as  at  first,  and  with  the 
same  momentary  success.  But  the  attack  was  instantly  shifted 
to  another  point,  where  the  same  charge  was  made  and  the 
same  result  followed.  The  Indians  would  retire  before  them, 
still  keeping  up  a  most  fatal  fire,  and  the  continentals  were 
uniformly  compelled  to  retire  in  turn.  St.  Clair  brought  up 
the  artillery  in  order  to  sweep  the  bushes  with  grape,  but  the 
horses  and  artillerymen  were  destroyed  by  the  terrible  fire  of 
the  enemy,  before  any  effect  could  be  produced.  They  were 
instantly  manned  afresh  from  the  infantry,  and  again  swept  of 
defenders. 

The  slaughter  had  now  become  prodigious.  Four-fifths  of 
the  officers  and  one-half  of  the  men  Avere  either  killed  or 
wounded.  The  ground  was  covered  with  bodies,  and  the  little 
ravine  which  led  to  the  river  was  running  with  blood.  The 
fire  of  the  enemy  had  not  in  the  least  slackened,  and  the  troops 
were  falling  in  heaps  before  it  in  every  part  of  the  camp.  To 
have  attempted  to  maintain  his  position  longer,  could  only 
have  led  to  the  total  destruction  of  his  force,  without  the 
possibility  of  annoying  the  enemy,  who  never  showed  them- 
selves, unless  when  charged,  and  whose  numbers  (to  judge  from 
the  weight  and  extent  of  the  fire)  must  have  greatly  exceeded 
his  own.  The  men  were  evidently  much  disheartened,  but  the 
officers,  who  were  chiefly  veterans  of  the  revolution,  still  main- 
t4iined  a  firm  countenance,  and  exerted  themselves  with  un- 


i,  ■}  jjfita-- 


<*' 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


301 


from  their 

apparently 
m  the  high 
of  conster- 
thera,  they 
1  a  retreat- 
d,  in  their 
1  that  par- 
te fire  was 
threatened 
in   turn, 
iants,  and 
ond  charge 
i  with  the 
itly  shifted 
le  and  the 
jfore  them, 
mtals  were 
Drought  up 
[)e,  but  the 
ble  fire  of 
rhey  were 
n  swept  of 

ir-fifths  of 

killed  or 

i  the  little 

ood.     The 

the  troops 

iamp.     To 

lould  only 

ithout  the 

ved  them- 

udge  from 

exceeded 

d,  but  the 

still  main- 

with  un- 


availing heroism  to  the  last.  Under  these  circumstances,  St 
Clair  determined  to  save  the  lives  of  the  survivors  if  possible, 
and  for  that  purpose  collected  the  remnants  of  several  battalions 
into  one  corps,  at  the  head  of  which  he  ordered  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Darke  to  make  an  impetuous  charge  upon  the  enemy, 
in  oitler  to  open  a  passage  for  the  remainder  of  the  army. 
Darke  executed  his  orders  with  great  spirit,  and  drove  the 
Indians  before  him  to  the  distance  of  a  quarter  of  a  mile.  The 
remainder  of  the  army  instantly  rushed  through  the  opening, 
in  order  to  gain  the  road ;  Major  Clarke,  with  the  remnant  of 
his  battalion,  bringing  up  the  rear,  and  endeavouring  to  keep 
the  Indians  in  check. 

The  retreat  soon  degenerated  into  a  total  rout.  Oflficers  who 
strove  to  arrest  the  panic,  only  sacrificed  themselves.  Clarke, 
the  leader  of  the  rear  guard,  soon  fell  in  this  dangerous  service, 
and  his  corps  were  totally  disorganized.  Officers  and  soldiers 
were  now  mingled  without  the  slightest  regard  to  discipline, 
and  "  devil  take  the  hindmost,"  was  the  order  of  the  day.  The 
pursuit,  at  first,  was  keen ;  but  the  temptation  afibrded  by  the 
plunder  of  the  camp  soon  brought  them  back,  and  the  wearied, 
wounded,  and  disheartened  fugitives  were  permitted  to  retire 
from  tlio  field  unmolested.  The  rout  continued  as  far  as  Fort 
JefFerwuii,  twenty-nine  miles  from  the  scene  of  action.  The  action 
lasted  more  than  three  hours,  during  the  whole  of  which  time 
the  fire  was  heavy  and  incessant. 

The  loss,  in  proportion  to  the  number  engaged,  was  enormous, 
and  is  unparalleled,  except  in  the  aflair  of  Braddock.  Sixty- 
eight  officers  were  killed  upon  the  spot,  and  twenty-eight 
wounded.  Out  of  nine  hundred  privates  who  went  into  action, 
five  hundred  and  fifty  were  left  dead  upon  the  field,  and  many 
of  the  survivors  were  wounded.  General  St.  Clair  was  un- 
touched, although  eight  balls  passed  through  his  hat  and 
clothes,  and  several  horses  were  killed  under  him.  The  Indian 
loss  was  reported  by  themselves  at  fifty-eight  killed  and 
wounded,  which  was  probably  not  underrated,  as  they  were 
never  visible  after  the  first  attack,  until  charged  with  the 
bayonet.  At  Fort  Jefferson,  the  fugitives  were  joined  by  the 
first  regiment,  who,  as  noticed  above,  had  been  detached  in 
pursuit  of  the  deserters.    Here  a  council  of  war  was  called, 


802 


INDIAN    WARS   OP   THE   WEST. 


which  terminated  in  the  unanimous  opinion,  that  the  r  junction 
with  the  first  regiment  did  not  justify  an  attempt  upon  the 
enemy  in  the  present  condition  of  affairs,  and  that  the  army 
should  return  to  Fort  Washington  without  delay.  This  was 
accordingly  done,  and  thus  closed  the  second  campaign  against 
the  Indians.  • 

The  unfortunate  General  was,  as  usual,  assailed  from  one  end 
of  the  country  to  the  other,  but  particularly  in  Kentucky,  with 
one  loud  and  merciless  outcry  of  abuse,  and  even  detestation. 
All  the  misfortunes  of  his  life  (and  they  were  many  and  bitter) 
were  brought  up  in  array  against  him.  He  was  reproached 
with  cowardice,  treason,  imbecility,  and  a  disposition  to  prolong 
the  war,  in  order  to  preserve  that  authority  which  it  gave  him. 
He  was  charged  with  sacrificing  the  lives  of  his  men  and  the 
interests  of  his  country,  to  his  own  private  ambition.  Men, 
who  had  never  fired  a  rifle,  and  never  beheld  an  Indian,  criti- 
cised severely  the  plan  of  his  encampment  and  the  order  of  his 
battle ;  and,  in  short,  all  the  bitter  ingredients  which  compose 
the  cup  of  the  unsuccessful  general,  were  drained  to  the  dregs. 

The  leader  of  the  Indian  army  in  this  bloody  engagement 
was  a  chief  of  the  Missassago  tribe,  known  by  the  name  of  the 
"  Little  Turtle."  Notwithstanding  his  name,  he  was  at  least 
six  feet  high,  strong,  muscular,  and  remarkably  dignified  in  his 
appearance.  He  was  forty  years  of  age,  had  seen  much  service, 
and  had  accompanied  Burgoyne  in  his  disastrous  invasion. 
His  aspect  was  harsh,  sour,  and  forbidding,  and  his  person 
during  the  action  was  arrayed  in  the  very  extremity  of  Indian 
foppery,  having  at  least  twenty  dollars'  worth  of  silver  depend- 
ing from  his  nose  and  ears.  The  plan  of  attack  was  conceived 
by  him  alone,  in  opposition  to  the  opinion  of  almost  every  other 
chief.  Notwithstanding  his  ability,  however,  he  was  said  to 
have  been  unpopular  among  the  Indians,  probably  in  conse- 
quence of  those  very  abilities. 

Many  veteran  officers  of  inferior  rank,  who  had  served  with 
distinction  throughout  the  revolutionary  war,  were  destined  to 
perish  in  this  unhappy  action.  Among  them  was  the  gallant 
and  unrewarded  Captain  Kirkwood,  of  the  old  Delaware  line, 
so  often  and  so  honourably  mentioned  in  Lee's  Memoirs.  The 
state  of  Delaware  having  had  but  one  regiment  on  the  continental 


irjunctioo 

upon  the 

the  army 

This  was 

;n  against 

« 

Q  one  end 
cky,  with 
testation, 
id  bitter) 
jproached 

0  prolong 
;ave  him. 

and  the 
n.  Men, 
ian,  criti- 
Jer  of  his 

compose 
le  dregs. 
»agement 
ODie  of  the 
s  at  least 
led  in  his 

1  service, 
invasion. 
8  person 
)f  Indian 
'  depend- 
ionceived 
iry  other 
3  said  to 
in  conse- 

ved  with 
stined  to 
i  gallant 
rare  line, 
rs.  The 
itinental 


INDIAN    WARS    OF    THE    WEST. 


393 


establishment,  and  that  regiment  having  been  reduced  to  a 
company  at  Camden,  it  was  impossible  for  Kirkwood  to  be 
promoted  without  a  violation  of  the  ordinary  rules,  by  which 
commissions  were  regulated.  He  accordingly  had  the  mortifi- 
cation of  beholding  junior  officers  daily  mounting  above  him  in 
the  scale  of  rank,  while  he  himself,  however  meritorious,  was 
compelled  to  remain  in  his  present  condition,  on  account  of  the 
small  force  which  his  native  state  could  bring  into  the  field. 

Notwithstanding  this  constant  source  of  mortification,  he 
fought  with  distinguished  gallantry,  throughout  the  war,  and 
was  personally  engaged  in  the  battles  of  Camden,  Guilford, 
Hobkirks,  Ninety-six,  and  Eutaw,  the  hottest  and  bloodiest 
which  occurred  during  the  revolution.  At  the  peace  of  1783, 
he  returned  with  a  broken  fortune,  but  a  high  reputation  for 
courage,  honour,  and  probity,  and  upon  the  re-appearance  of 
war  in  the  north-west,  he  hastened  once  more  to  the  scene  of 
action,  and  submitted,  without  reluctance,  to  the  command 
of  officers  who  had  been  boys  while  he  was  fighting  those  severe 
battles  in  the  south.  He  fell  in  a  brave  attempt  to  repel  the 
enemy  with  the  bayonet,  and  thus  closed  a  career  as  honourable 
as  it  was  unrewarded. ' 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Darke's  escape  was  almost  miraculous. 
Possessed  of  a  tall,  striking  figure,  in  full  uniform,  and  superbly 
mounted,  he  headed  three  desperate  charges  against  the  enemy, 
in  each  of  which  he  was  a  conspicuous  mark.  His  clothes  were 
cut  in  many  places,  but  he  escaped  with  only  a  slight  flesh 
wound.  In  the  last  charge,  Ensign  Wilson,  a  youth  of  seven- 
teen, was  shot  through  the  heart,  and  fell  a  few  paces  in  the 
rear  of  the  regiment,  which  was  then  rather  rapidly  returning 
to  their  original  position.  An  Indian,  attracted  by  his  rich 
uniform,  sprung  up  from  the  grass,  and  rushed  forward  to  scalp 
him.  Darke,  who  was  at  that  time  in  the  rear  of  his  regiment, 
suddenly  faced  about,  dashed  at  the  Indian  on  horseback,  and 
cleft  his  skull  with  his  broadsword,  drawing  upon  himself  by 
the  act  a  rapid  discharge  of  more  than  a  dozen  rifles.  He 
rejoined  his  regiment,  however,  in  safety,  being  compelled  to 
leave  the  body  of  young  Wilson  to  the  enemy.  On  the  evening 
of  the  8  th  of  November,  the  broken  remains  of  the  army 
arrived  at  Fort  Washington,  and  were  placed  in  winter  quarters. 

33  ♦ 


/ 


;«'*) 


ft-  '", 


lit 


3U4 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


Washington  now  informed  the  unfortunate  St.  Clair,  that  he 
could  neither  grant  him  a  court  of  inquiry,  nor  allow  him  to 
retain  his  position.  More  vigorous  operations  to  secure  peace 
to  the  northwestern  frontier  were  determined  upon ;  but,  in  the 
mean  time,  commissioners  were  sent  into  the  Indian  country  to 
see  if  it  was  possible  to  bring  about  negotiations.  Of  course, 
under  the  circumstances,  these  attempts  to  conclude  a  peace  were 
not  successful.  After  their  great  triumph,  the  red  men  ever 
cherished  hopes  of  driving  the  whites  beyond  the  Ohio. 

It  being  determined  to  raise  a  more  efficient  army,  Wash- 
ington began  to  look  about  for  a  general  to  take  the  command. 
Generals  Morgan,  Scott,  V/ayne,  Lee,  and  Colonel  Darke,  were 
proposed.  Wjishington  seloctod  the  energetic  Wayne — surnamed, 
for  his  furious  courage  in  battle,  "  Mjui  Anthony."  Wayne  imme- 
diately repaired  to  Pittsburgh,  and  proceeded  to  organize  the 
army.  Every  exertion  was  made  to  fit  the  men  for  the  pecu- 
liar warfare  in  which  they  were  about  to  engage.  In  the 
mean  time,  commissioners,  under  the  direction  of  the  general 
government,  continued  their  fruitless  exertions  to  quiet  the 
Indians  without  the  use  of  force.  Wayne's  "Legion"  passed 
the  winter  of  1792-93  at  Legionville,  and  there  remained 
until  the  last  of  April,  1793,  when  it  was  taken  down  the  river 
to  Cincinnati,  and  encamped  near  Fort  Washington.  There  it 
continued  till  October,  engaged  merely  in  preparations,  the 
Commander-in-chief  having  been  directed  by  the  executive  to 
issue  a  proclamation,  forbidding  all  hostile  movements  north 
of  the  Ohio,  until  the  northern  commissioners  should  be  heard 
from.  This  proclamation  was  issued,  and  the  country  remained 
tranquil,  although  preparations  were  made  for  action,  in  case  it 
should  finallv  become  needful. 

On  the  16th  of  August,  1793,  the  final  messages  took  place 
between  the  American  commissioners  and  the  Indians,  at  the 
mouth  of  Detroit  river ;  on  the  23d  reached  Fort  Erie,  near 
Niagara ;  upon  the  same  day  they  sent  three  letters  to  General 
Wayne,  by  three  distinct  channels,  advising  him  of  the  issue 
of  the  negotiation.  Wayne,  encamped  at  his  "  Hobson's  choice," 
and  contending  with  the  unwillingness  of  Kentuckians  to 
volunteer  in  connexion  with  regular  troops, — with  fever,  in- 
fluenza, and  desertion, — was  struggling  hard  to  bring  his  army 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


395 


,  that  he 
V  him  to 
re  peace 
it,  in  the 
untry  to 
course, 
ace  were 
len  ever 

Wash- 
mmand. 
ke,  were 
rnanied, 
le  imiiie- 
riize  the 
he  pecu- 
In   the 
!  general 
uiet  the 
passed 
emained 
;he  river 
There  it 
ans,  the 
!Utive  to 
ts  north 
)e  heard 
emained 
1  case  it 

ik  place 
,  at  the 
ie,  near 
General 
le  issue 
;hoice," 
ians  to 
ver,  in- 
is  army 


to  such  form  and  consistency  as  would  enable  him  to  meet  the 
enemy  with  confidence.  On  the  5th  of  October,  he  writes 
that  he  cannot  hope  to  have,  deducting  the  sick  and  those 
left  in  garrison,  more  than  2600  regular  troops,  360  mounted 
volunteers,  and  33  guides  and  spies  to  go  with  him  beyond 
Fort  Jefferson.  - 

On  the  7th  the  legion  left  Cincinnati,  and  upon  the  13th, 
without  any  accident,  encamped  upon  a  strong  position  beyond 
Fort  Jefferson.  Here,  upon  the  24th  of  October,  he  was  joined 
by  1000  mounted  Kentucky  volunteers  under  General  Scott, 
to  whom  he  had  written  pressing  requests  to  hasten  forward 
with  all  the  men  he  could  muster.  This  request  Scott  hastened 
to  comply  with,  and  the  Governor,  upon  the  28th  of  September 
had  ordered,  in  addition,  a  draft  of  militia.  The  Kentucky 
troops,  however,  were  soon  dismissed  again,  until  spring. 

One  attack  had  been  made  upon  the  troops  previous  to  the 
23d  of  October,  and  only  one  :  a  body  of  two  commissioned  and 
ninety  non-commissioned  officers  and  soldiers,  conveying  twenty 
wagons  of  supplies,  was  assaulted  on  the  17th,  seven  miles 
beyond  Fort  St.  Clair,  and  Lieutenant  Lowry  and  Ensign  Boyd, 
with  thirteen  others,  were  killed.  Although  so  little  opposition 
had  thus  far  been  encountered,  however,  Wayne  determined  to 
stay  where  he  was,  for  the  winter,  and  having  70,000  rations 
on  hand  in  October,  with  the  prospect  of  120,000  more,  while 
the  Indians  were  sure  to  be  short  of  provisions,  he  proceeded  to 
fortify  his  position ;  which  he  named  Fort  Greenville,  and  which 
was  situated  upon  the  spot  now  occupied  by  the  town  of  that 
name.  This  being  done,  on  the  23d  or  24th  of  December,  a 
detachment  was  sent  forward  to  take  possession  of  the  field  of 
St.  Clair's  defeat.  They  arrived  upon  the  spot  at  Christmas 
day.  "Six  hundred  skulls,"  says  one  present,  "were  gathered 
up  and  buried ;  when  we  went  to  lie  down  in  our  tents  at 
night,  we  had  to  scrape  the  bones  together  and  carry  them 
out,  to  make  our  beds."  Here  was  built  Fort  Recovery,  which 
was  properly  garrisoned,  and  placed  under  the  charge  of  Captain 
Alexander  Gibson.  During  the  early  months  of  1794,  "Wayne 
was  steadily  engaged  in  preparing  everything  for  a  suro  blow 
when  the  time  came,  and,  by  means  of  Captain  Gibson  and  his 
various  spies,  kept  himself  informed  of  the  plans  and  move- 


396 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


ments  of  the  savages.  All  his  information  showed  the  faith  in 
British  assistance  which  still  animated  the  doomed  race  of 
red-men. 

On  the  30th  of  June,  1794,  Fort  Recovery,  the  advanced 
American  post,  was  assaulted  by  the  Little  Turtle,  at  the  head 
of  1000  to  1500  warriors;  and  although  repelled,  the  assail- 
ants rallied  and  returned  to  the  charge,  and  kept  up  the 
attack  through  the  whole  of  that  day,  and  a  part  of  the  follow- 
ing. Nor  was  this  assailing  force  entirely  composed  of  natives ; 
General  "Wayne,  in  his  despatch,  says  his  spies  report  "  a  great 
number  of  white  men  with  the  Indians." 

On  the  26th  of  July,  Scott,  with  some  1600  mounted  men 
from  Kentucky,  jointed  Wayne  at  Greenville,  and  on  the  28th 
the  legion  moved  forward.  On  the  8th  of  August,  the  army 
was  near  the  junction  of  the  Auglaize  and  Maumee,  at  Grand 
Glaize,  and  proceeded  at  once  to  build  Fort  Defiance  where  the 
rivers  meet.  The  Indians  had  hastily  abandoned  their  towns 
upon  hearing  of  the  approach  of  the  army  from  a  runaway 
member  of  the  Quartermaster's  corps,  who  was  afterwards 
taken  at  Pittsburgh.  It  had  been  Wayne's  plan  to  reach  the 
head-quarters  of  the  savages.  Grand  Glaize,  undiscovered ;  and 
in  order  to  do  this,  he  had  caused  two  roads  to  be  cut,  one 
towards  the  foot  of  the  rapids  (Roche  de  Bout),  the  other  to 
the  junction  of  the  St.  Mary  and  St.  Joseph,  while  he  pressed 
forward  between  the  two :  and  this  stratagem,  he  thinks  would 
have  been  successful  but  for  the  deserter  referred  to.  While 
engaged  upon  Fort  Defiance,  the  American  commander  received 
full  and  accurate  accounts  of  the  Indians  and  the  aid  they 
would  receive  from  the  volunteers  of  Detroit  and  elsewhere ; 
he  learned  the  nature  of  the  ground,  and  the  circumstances 
favourable  and  unfavourable  ;  and  upon  the  whole,  considering 
the  spirit  of  his  troops,  officers  and  men,  regulars  and  volun- 
teers, he  determined  to  march  forward  and  settle  matters  at 
once.  But  yet,  true  to  the  last  to  the  spirit  of  compromise 
and  peace  so  forcibly  taught  by  Washington,  on  tlie  13th  of 
August  he  sent  Christopher  Miller,  who  had  been  naturalized 
among  the  Shawanees,  and  had  been  taken  prisoner  on  the  11th 
by  Wayne's  spies,  as  a  special  messenger,  offering  terms  of 
friendship. 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


397 


e  faith  in 
race  of 

advanced 
the  head 
le  assail- 
it  up  the 
le  foUow- 
natives ; 
"  a  great 

ited  men 
the  28th 
;he  army 
it  Grand 
here  the 
}ir  towns 
runaway 
'terwards 
3ach  the 
red;  and 
cut,  one 
other  to 
I  pressed 
^s  would 
While 
received 
aid  they 
jewhere ; 
nstances 
isidering 
i  volun- 
atters  at 
ipromise 
13th  of 
turalized 
the  1] th 
erms  of 


Unwilling  to  wasio  time,  the  troops  moved  forward  on  the 
16th,  and  on  the  16th  met  Miller  returning  with  the  message, 
that  if  the  Americans  would  wait  ten  days  at  Grand  Glaize, 
they  (the  Indians)  would  decide  for  peace  or* war;  which 
Wayne  replied  to  only  by  marching  straight  on.  On  the  18th, 
the  Legion  hod  advanced  forty-one  miles  from  Grand  Glaize, 
and  being  near  by  the  long  looked  for  foe,  began  to  throw  up 
some  light  works,  called  Fort  Deposit,  wherein  to  place  the 
heavy  baggage  during  the  expected  battle.  On  that  day,  five 
of  Wayne's  spies,  among  whom  was  May,  rode  into  the  very 
camp  of  the  enemy ;  in  attempting  to  retreat  again,  May's  horse 
fell,  and  he  wos  taken.  The  next  day,  the  day  before  the 
battle,  he  was  tied  to  a  tree  and  shot  at  as  a  target.  During 
the  19th,  the  army  still  laboured  on  their  works :  on  the  20th, 
at  7  or  8  o'clock,  all  baggage  having  been  left  behind,  the  white 
forces  moved  down  the  north  bank  of  the  Maumee; — "the 
Legion  on  the  right,  its  flank  covered  by  the  Maumee:  one 
brigade  of  niounted  volunteers  on  the  left,  under  Brigadier 
General  Todd,  and  the  other  in  the  rear,  under  Brigadier  Ge- 
neral Barbee.  A  select  battalion  of  mounted  volunteers  moved 
in  front  of  the  Legion,  commanded  by  Major  Price,  who  was 
directed  to  keep  sufficiently  advanced,  so  as  to  give  timely 
notice  for  the  troops  to  form  in  case  of  action,  it  being  yet 
undetermined  whether  the  Indians  would  decide  for  peace  or 
war. 

"  After  advancing  about  five  miles,  Major  Price's  corps  received 
so  severe  a  fire  from  the  enemy,  who  were  secreted  in  the 
woods  and  high  grass,  as  to  compel  them  to  retreat,  The  Le- 
gion was  immediately  formed  in  two  lines,  principally  in  a 
close  thick  wood,  which  extended  for  miles  on  our  left,  and  for 
a  very  considerable  distance  in  front ;  the  ground  being  covered 
with  old  fallen  timber,  probably  occasioned  by  a  tornado,  which 
rendered  it  impracticable  for  the  cavalry  to  act  with  eflect,  and 
afibrded  the  enemy  the  most  favourable  covert  for  their  mode 
of  warfare.  The  savages  were  formed  in  three  lines,  within 
supporting  distance  of  each  other,  and  extending  for  near  two 
miles  at  right  angles  with  the  river.  I  soon  discovered,  from 
the  weight  of  the  fire  and  extent  of  their  lines,  that  the 
enemy  were  in  full  force  in  front,  in  possession  of  their  favourite 
50 


398 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


WAYNB   nRPKATlNO   THE   INDIANS. 


I 


I?;   li  ' 


ground,  and  entlcavouring  to  turn  our  left  flank.  I  therefore 
gave  orders  for  the  second  line  to  advance  and  support  tli« 
first;  and  directed  Major  General  Scott  to  gain  and  turn  tie 
right  flank  of  the  savages,  with  the  whole  of  the  mounted 
volunteers,  by  a  circuitous  route;  at  the  same  time  I  ordered 
the  front  line  to  advance  and  charge  with  trailed  arms,  and 
rouse  the  Indians  from  their  coverts  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet, 
and  when  up  to  deliver  a  close  and  well  directed  fire  on  their 
backs,  foil  "wcd  by  a  brisk  charge,  so  as  not  to  give  them  time 
to  load  again. 

"  I  also  ordered  Captain  Mis  Campbell,  who  commanded  the 
legionary  cavalry,  to  turn  the  left  flank  of  the  enemy  next  the 
river,  and  which  aflforded  a  favourable  field  for  that  corps  to 
act  in.  All  these  orders  were  obeyed  with  spirit  and  prompti- 
tude ;  but  such  was  the  impetuosity  of  the  charge  by  the  first 
line  of  infantry,  that  the  Indians  and  Canadian  militia  and 
volunteers  were  driven  from  all  their  coverts  in  so  short  a  time, 
that  although  every  possible  exertion  was  used  by  the  officers 
of  the  second  line  of  the  Legion,  and  by  Generals  Scott,  Todd, 
and  Barbee,  of  the  mounted  volunteers,  to  gain  their  proper 
positions,  but  part  of  each  could  get  up  in  season  to  participate 
in  the  action ;  the  enemy  being  driven,  in  the  course  of  one 


herefore 
port  the 
urn  tl;e 
mounted 
ordered 
•ms,  and 
bayonet. 
)n  their 
m.  time 

ided  the 
lext  the 
3orps  to 
•rompti- 
he  first 
tia  and 
a  time, 
officers 
,  Todd,   . 
proper 
;icipate 
of  one 


INDIAN    WARS    OF    THE    WEST. 


399 


hour,  more  than  two  miles,  through  the  thick  woods,  already 
mentioned,  by  less  than  one-half  their  numbers.  From  every 
account  the  enemy  amounted  to  two  thousand  combatants. 
The  troops  actually  engaged  nfrninst  them  were  short  of  nine 
hundred.  This  horde  of  savaj-vn,  with  their  allies,  abandoned 
themselves  to  tlight,  and  dispersed  with  terror  and  dismay, 
leaving  our  victorious  army  in  full  and  quiet  possession  of  the 
field  of  battle,  which  terminated  under  the  influence  of  the 
guns  of  the  British  garrison,  as  you  will  observe  by  the  enclosed 
correspondence  between  Major  Campbell,  the  commandant, 
and  myself,  upon  the  occasion." 

The  broken  remains  of  the  Indian  army  were  pursued  under 
the  guns  of  the  British  fort,  and  so  keen  wns  the  nrdour  of 
Wayne's  men,  and  so  strong  their  resentment  against  the 
English,  that  it  was  with  the  utmost  difficulty  they  could  be 
restrained  from  storming  it  upon  the  spot.  As  it  was,  many 
of  the  Ker.tucky  troops  advanced  within  gunshot,  and  insulted 
the  garrison  with  a  select  volley  of  oaths  and  epithets,  which 
must  have  given  the  British  commandant  a  high  idea  of  back- 
woods gentility.  He  instantly  wrote  an  indignant  letter  to 
General  Wayne,  complaining  of  the  outrage,  and  demanding  by 
what  authority  he  trespassed  upon  the  sacred  precincts  of  a 
British  garrison  ?  Now,  "  Mad  Anthony"  was  the  last  man  in 
the  world  to  be  dragooned  into  politeness,  and  he  replied  in 
terms  but  little  short  of  those  employed  by  the  Kentuckians, 
and  satisfactorily  informed  Captain  Campbell,  the  British  com- 
mandant, that  his  only  chance  of  safety  was  silence  and  civility. 
After  some  sharp  messages  on  both  sides,  the  war  of  the  pen 
ceased,  and  the  destruction  of  property  began.  Houses,  stores, 
cornfields,  orchards,  were  soon  wrapped  in  flames  or  levelled 
with  the  earth.  The  dwelling-house  and  store  of  Colonel 
M'Kee,  the  Indian  Agent,  shared  the  fate  of  the  rest. 
-  All  this  was  performed  before  the  face  of  Captain  Campbell, 
who  was  compelled  to  look  on  in  silence,  and  without  any 
effort  to  prevent  it.  There  remains  not  the  least  question  noto 
that  the  Indians  were  not  only  encouraged  in  their  acts  of 
hostility  by  the  English  traders,  but  were  actually  supplied 
with  arms,  ammunition,  and  provisions,  by  order  of  the  Eng- 
lish commandant  at  Detroit,  Colonel  England.    There  remains 


400 


INDIAN    WARS    OF    THE    WEST. 


a,  correHpondunco  between  this  gentleman  and  M'Kee,  in  which 
urgent  denuindH  are  made  tur  IVes!)  Hupplies  of  ammunition, 
and  the  approach  of  "the  enemy"  (as  they  called  Wayne)  is 
mentioned  with  great  anxiety.  After  the  battle  of  the  Rapids, 
he  writes  that  the  Indians  are  mucii  discouraged,  and  that  "  it 
will  require  great  efforts  to  induce  them  to  remain  in  a  body." 
Had  Wayne  been  positively  inforined  of  this  circumstance,  he 
would  scarcely  have  restrained  his  men  from  a  more  energetic 
expression  of  indignation. 

The  Indian  force  being  completely  dispersed,  their  cornfields 
cut  up,  and  their  houses  destroyed,  Wayne  drew  off  from  the 
neighbourhood  of  the  British  pasts,  and,  in  order  to  hold  the 
Indians  permanently  in  check,  he  eivcted  a  fort  at  the  junction 
of  the  Auglaize  and  Miami,  in  the  very  heart  of  the  Indian 
country,  to  which  he  gave  the  appropriate  name  of  Defiance. 
As  this  was  connected  with  Fort  Washington  by  various  inters 
mediate  fortifications,  it  could  not  fail  completely  to  overawe 
the  enemy,  who,  in  a  very  short  time,  urgently  and  unani- 
mously demanded  peace. 

No  victory  could  have  been  better  timed  than  that  of  Wayne. 
The  various  tribes  of  Indians  throughout  the  whole  of  the 
United  States,  encouraged  by  the  repeated  disasters  of  the 
armies  in  the  northwest,  had  become  very  unsteady,  and 
menacing  in  their  intercourse  with  the  whites.  The  Creeks  and 
Cherokees,  in  the  south,  were  already  in  arms,  while  the 
Oneidas,  Tuscaroras,  &c.,  in  the  north,  were  evidently  prepar- 
ing for  hostilities.  The  shock  of  the  victory  at  the  Rapids, 
however,  was  felt  in  all  quarters.  The  southern  Indians  in- 
stantly demanded  peace ;  the  Oneidas,  conscious  of  their  evil 
intentions,  and  fearful  of  the  consequences,  became  suddenly 
affectionate  even  to  servility ;  and  within  a  few  months  after 
the  victory,  all  the  frontiers  enjoyed  the  most  profound  peace. 
Wayne  reported  his  loss  at  thirty-three  killed  and  one  hundred 
wounded.  The  Indian  loss  could  not  be  ascertained,  but  wai? 
supposed  to  exceed  that  of  the  Americans.  This,  however,  is 
very  doubtful,  as  they  gave  way  immediately,  and  were  not  so 
much  exposed  as  the  continentals. 

One  circumstance  attending  their  flight  is  remarkable,  and 
deserves  to  be  inserted.     Three  Indians  being  hard  pressed  by 


/ 


INDIAN    WARS    OF    THE    WKST. 


4U1 


n  which 
lunition, 
ayne)  is 
linpids, 
that  "it 
a  hody." 
ance,  he 
nergetic 

ornficlds 
Vom  the 
lold  the 
junction 
)  Indian 
)efiance. 
U8  inter- 
overawo 
i  unani- 

Wayne. 
i  of  the 
i  of  the 
Hy,  and 
jeks  and 
liile  the 
prepar- 
Rapids, 
lians  in> 
leir  evil 
uddenly 
hs  after 
d  peace, 
lundred 
but  wa>? 
ever,  is 
J  not  so 

)le,  and 
ssed  by 


the  cavalry  u{)un  one  side,  and  the  infantry  upon  the  othrr, 
plunged  into  the  river  and  attempted  to  swim  to  the  opposite 
shore.  A  runaway  negro  wh'>  li  id  attached  himself  to  the 
American  army,  vvas  concealed  in  tliU  ))U8he8  upon  the  opposite 
bank,  and  perceiving  three  Indirtns  approaching  nearer  than  in 
his  opinion  was  consistent  with  the  security  of  his  hiding-place, 
he  collected  courage  enough  to  level  his  ritl(  at  the  forenioxt, 
as  he  was  swimming,  and  shot  him  through  the  head.  Tho 
other  two  Indians  instantly  halted  in  the  Wiiter,  and  attempted 
to  drag  the  body  of  their  dead  companion  ashore.  The  ne«;ro, 
in  the  mean  time,  reloaded  his  gun  and  shot  another  dead  upon 
the  spot.  The  survivor  then  seized  hold  of  both  bodies,  and 
attempted,  with  a  fidelity  which  seems  astonishing,  to  bring 
them  both  to  land.  The  negro  having  had  leisure  to  reload  a 
second  time,  and  firing  from  his  covert  upon  the  surviving 
Indian,  wounded  him  mortally  while  struggling  with  the  dead 
bodies.  He  then  ventured  to  approach  them,  and  from  the 
striking  resemblance  of  their  features,  as  well  as  their  devoted 
attachment,  they  were  supposed  to  have  been  brothers.  After 
scalping  them,  he  permitted  their  bodies  to  float  down  the 
stream. 

The  Indians  now  sued  for  peace.  Preliminaries  were  settled, 
and  it  was  determined  that  a  grand  conference  should  be  held 
at  Greenville,  to  form  a  definitive  treaty.  During  the  month 
of  June,  1795,  the  representatives  of  the  northwestern  tribes 
began  to  gather  at  Greenville,  and  on  the  16th  of  that  month 
Wayne  met  in  council  the  Delawares,  Ottawas,  Pottawatamies, 
and  Eel  River  Indians ;  and  the  conferences,  which  lasted  till 
August  10th,  commenced.  On  the  21st  of  June,  Buckongehelas 
arrived ;  on  the  23d,  the  Little  Turtle  and  other  Miamies ;  on 
the  13th  of  July,  Tarke  and  other  Wyandot  Chiefs  reached  the 
appointed  spot;  and  upon  the  18th,  Blue  Jacket  with  thirteen 
Shawnees,  and  Masass  with  twenty  Chippeways.  Most  of  these, 
as  it  appeared  by  their  statements,  had  been  tampered  with  by 
M'Kee,  Brant,  and  other  English  agents.  They  had,  however, 
all  determined  to  make  a  permanent  peace  with  the  Thirteen 
Fires,  and  although  some  difficulty  as  to  the  ownership  of 
the  lands  to  be  ceded,  at  one  time  seemed  likely  to  arise,  the 
good  sense  of  Wayne  and  of  the  Chiefs  prevented  it,  and  upon 


If-  ilJ 


402 


INDIAN    WARS    OP    THE    WEST. 


the  30th  of  July  the  treaty  was  agreed  to  which  was  to  bury 
the  hatchet  for  ever.  Between  that  day  and  the  3d  of  August 
it  was  engrossed,  and  having  been  signed  by  the  various  nations 
upon  the  day  last  named,  on  the  7th  was  finally  acted  upon, 
and  the  presents  from  the  United  States  distributed  forthwith. 
While  the  Council  was  in  session  some  mischief  had  been  done 
in  Virginia  by  a  band  of  Shawnees,  but  on  the  9tli  of  September 
these  also  came  to  Greenville,  gave  up  their  prisoners,  and  asked 
for  forgiveness.  The  basis  of  the  treaty  of  Greenville  was  the 
previous  one  made  at  Fort  liarmar.  Hostilities  were  to  cease ; 
all  prisoners  were  to  be  restored,  a  large  portion  of  the  north- 
western territory  was  ceded  to  the  United  States ;  the  Indians 
were  allowed  to  hunt  within  the  ceded  lands;  all  previous 
treaties  were  annulled.  '  From  this  time  until  the  mighty 
Tecumseh  began  to  agitate  the  west,  the  inhabitants  enjoyed 
peace  and  security. 


-v 


as  to  bury 

of  August 
9US  nations 
icted  upon, 

forthwith. 

been  done 
September 

and  asked 
le  was  the 
B  to  cease ; 
the  north- 
he  Indians 
il  previous 
le  mighty 
ts  enjoyed 


\ 


i  < 


